MizuKagami
by Klitch
Summary: Ken is sucked into the world of darkness, where a strange being named Kagami steals his name, form, and memories, leaving Ken trapped in the dark world. Yaoi, Kensuke. Epilouge up.
1. Mirror

**"Mizu-Kagami"**

Disclaimer: Same ol', same ol'. Digimon isn't mine. I guess Kagami's mine, whether I want him or not. 

Prerequisite yaoi warning: You know the drill. Boys in love with other boys, no like, no read. 

Author's Notes: This will eventually be Kensuke, there's just not much of it in the first chapter. I promise there'll be more in the next one. The title of this fic translates as "Water Mirror," and it's the name of Chichiri's image song in the 2nd Fushigi Yuugi OAVs, which is where I got the idea for this fic from. The song itself really has nothing to do with the fic, the name just fits, is all. 

--- 

Ken sat at his desk, resting his head on his arms as he watched the screen flash in front of him. He was bored. Incredibly, totally, undeniably bored. 

"Ken-chan? Are you feeling okay?" Minomon floated over next to him, poking him a little in the shoulder. 

"Hai, I'm fine." Ken turned his head to the side and reached out one hand, taking his partner into his arms and cuddling him a little. "There's just nothing to do, that's all. I e-mailed Daisuke a while ago to see if he wanted to do anything, but he hasn't replied." Ken sighed without even realizing it. 

"You e-mailed him all by yourself?" Minomon sounded as if he couldn't have been happier if Ken had suddenly decided to drop any and all guilt he felt for the rest of his life. 

"It took me twenty minutes to get up the courage to, but yes," Ken acquiesced. "After all, I'm his friend." Ken blushed. "And I thought he would be just as happy as you are that I actually took the initiative for once and asked him over instead of the other way around." He turned back to the blank computer screen for a moment, then reached out again and retrieved his D-Terminal. He stared at it for a few seconds, then shook his head. "I wonder where he is. I hope he comes back soon." He didn't notice the wistful tone of his own voice. Minomon, however, did, and gave him a strangely happy look. 

"I'm sure he'll reply as soon as he sees you e-mailed him, Ken-chan," the little Digimon stated. 

"Well, I'm sick of sitting here. Why don't we go for a walk in the Digital World? I'll e-mail Daisuke and he can meet us there whenever he gets the chance." 

"That sounds like a good idea," Minomon said encouragingly. Ken typed out a quick message on his D-Terminal, then pulled out his black D-3. 

"You ready?" He smiled at his little partner. "Digiport, open!" 

The two were transported to a sunny hilltop in the Digital World. Ken closed his eyes for a moment and let the cool wind blow by him. 

"It's a nice day," he commented to Wormmon, who nodded. Ken opened his eyes and smiled down at his partner. "So, where do you want to go?" 

"I think there's a village of Yukimibotamon down that way," Wormmon suggested, pointing south with one short leg. "We could go play with them. They always enjoy company." 

"Even mine?" Ken said hesitantly. He still wasn't sure if all the Digimon had forgiven him yet for the things he had once done. 

"Don't worry, Ken-chan," Wormmon assured him, rubbing up against Ken's leg. "I'm sure no one even remembers that anymore. We'll have fun, you'll see. Come on." The Digimon started walking, and Ken had no choice but to follow him. 

"I--" Ken started to say something, then stopped, coming to an abrupt halt as his voice was choked off by a gasp. 

"Ken-chan?" Wormmon hurried to his partner's side. "What is it?" 

"Don't you feel it?" Ken asked in a trembling whisper. "It's cold..." 

"Cold?" A pensive look crossed Wormmon's face. "But it's spring out." 

"No....the wind....it's--it's so cold," Ken began to shiver. "I'm so cold, Wormmon..." 

"But the wind's stopped." Wormmon worriedly clambered halfway up Ken's leg. "What's happening, Ken-chan? You're scaring me." 

"S-so cold," Ken murmured through chattering teeth. He suddenly froze, his face pale as death. "No...waves....Wormmon, I hear waves..." 

"We're not near the ocean," Wormmon said in confusion, then paused as the sickening realization set in. "It's not--" 

"The dark ocean," Ken stated in a trembling whisper. "I can hear it; it's coming... Wormmon--Wormmon, don't let it take me again!" 

"I won't!" Wormmon's face became determined. "Don't worry, Ken-chan! I'll protect you!" 

Ken's only reply was a strangled cry of fear. Wormmon clung helplessly to his partner as Ken flickered in and out of reality. 

"Ken-chan!" Wormmon tightened his grip, but it didn't seem to be helping. 

"Not again," Ken muttered feverishly, like a mantra. "Not again, not again, please, not _again..._" 

Those were his last words before he disappeared completely, leaving Wormmon lying alone in the grass. 

_"Ken-chan!"_

~~~ 

It was cold. That was the first thing Ken realized as he struggled back into consciousness. The second thing he realized was that he was lying on his side on wet sand, and that water was lapping at his heels. 

"Ugh..." Ken slowly worked himself into a sitting position, one hand going to his head. "Wormmon?" 

There was no reply. Ken's eyes struggled open as he took in his surroundings. He was lying on a dark shore, overlooking the ocean. 

"No!" Ken scrambled backwards, eyes widening in fear as he recalled what had just happened. Somehow, he had been pulled into the world of darkness. 

"How--how did I get here?" he panted fearfully. There was no answer. Ken glanced around, realizing for the first time that he was alone. Totally and utterly alone. 

"H-hello?" he ventured, stumbling to his feet. "Anyone? Wormmon?" There was no reply. Ken shivered as a cool wind blew by. His searching violet eyes scanned the water for any sign of life, hostile or otherwise, but found none. The wind blew by again, and this time Ken could hear a smooth, poisonous voice singing softly in his ears. 

_"White and black are simply myth _

The world is all in grays 

Look not for the certain path 

This one widens all the ways 

Close your eyes and do not cry 

Your time is standing still 

There's little enough that you can do 

Save give your heart and surrender your will 

I'll give you kisses, love, and more 

I'll give you the sweet scent of death 

Let the darkness surround and caress you 

And freeze your lovely breath 

Let me take you, let me tear you 

Through me alone can you find your way 

Let me wrap my arms around you 

And fill your soul with your own decay." 

Ken stood still and straight, as if frozen solid. All the color had drained from his face. 

_I know that voice...._ he thought wildly. _That rhyme...the first time I was here, that's the song I heard....it's what called me into the water..._

"I have to get out of here!" Shaking off his paralysis, Ken turned and fled, determined to get as far away from the terrible sound as possible. He didn't know where he was headed, only that he had to get away. He ran through a small copse of trees, then stumbled on a fallen log, crashing to the ground. The wind washed over him like the waves of an ocean. 

"Please..." Ken raised his head slightly, tears forming in his eyes. "Please....just leave me alone." 

_"Who are you?"_ Ken pushed himself onto his knees as the strange voice reached him. It was unlike any he had ever heard before, and he was at a loss to describe it. It was neither male nor female, neither young nor old, with no discernible tone. It was not happy, nor was it sad, nor indifferent, nor angry, not even curious, despite the question it had asked. Despite himself, Ken found his eyes once more searching the landscape for any sign of life. 

_I should be running,_ he thought frantically, his heart pounding in his chest. Even his labored breathing sounded like the beat of drums in his ears. _It's not safe here. Demon's still around here somewhere, and who knows what else. I should be looking for a way out, not following strange voices to what could possibly be an enemy._

Despite these thoughts, however, Ken found himself following the sound of the voice to a small clearing. In the center of the clearing was a shining lake. The boy collapsed onto the ground at the edge, staring into the mirror-like surface. His own reflection blinked wearily up at him, reflected as smoothly as if the surface were glass instead of water. 

_"Who are you? Do you have a name?"_ The voice spoke up again and Ken started in surprise. It had come from the lake! 

"Y-yes," Ken replied hesitantly. "Yes I do. But do you mind if I ask yours first? Who are you? _Where_ are you?" 

_"Who am I?"_ the voice repeated. _"I'm nobody. I have long forgotten who I was. Some have called me Kagami."_

"Mirror," Ken breathed. 

_"Is that what it means? I wondered. I don't recall who first gave me that name. I suppose it was someone who felt sorry for me, because I did not have one."_

"But everything has a name," Ken replied, though part of his brain remarked that this was not necessarily true. 

_"But I am nothing, and so I did not have one," _Kagami replied. 

"You're....nothing?" Ken chuckled, well aware of how strained his voice sounded. "That's impossible, though. I can't be talking to nothing. Unless I've finally gone insane and am imagining you." 

_"I am here, yet nevertheless, I am nothing and no one. I have no memories, no true name, not even corporeal form. How can one call oneself a living being when one has no recollection of ever having been a living being?"_

"You don't have a body? Then how can you talk?" Ken questioned. 

_"My essence is trapped in this lake. I do not recall how I came to be here. For me, there are only two times: the time that I was not, and the time that I was. I have no way of keeping track of the days, so I do not know how long I have been here. I have been here since the time that I was, that is all that I can say. I woke and I was. Before then, all is nothingness."_

"I--I don't understand." Ken moved a little closer, resting on his knees with his hands helping to prop him up as he stared deeper into the sparkling lake. "I don't suppose you know the way out of here?" 

_"I do not even know how to get out of this lake. Just as I know only two times, I know only two places: the Lake and the Outside. Anything that is not the Lake is the Outside. Is the Outside very large?"_

"I'm not sure. It seems to be." Ken shrugged. "I don't live here. All I want to do is go home." Ken shivered again, remembering the horrible song and the crashing of the waves. 

_"Home? What is 'Home'?"_

"Home is where I live," Ken said. "Don't you even know what home is?" 

_"Then the Lake is my....home?"_

"I suppose," Ken replied. 

_"I see. Tell me more about your home. Does it have a name? Do you?"_

"My name is Ken," the boy said. "Ken Ichijouji. My home is called Tamachi. It's in Japan. I don't expect you to have heard of it. Most of the Digimon haven't." 

_"Digimon? What are Digimon? Are you a Digimon?"_

"No. I'm a human. Digimon are....well, Digimon. Digital monsters. There are all different ones, so I can't really describe them. My partner Digimon's named Wormmon. He's kind of a small, green caterpillar. But I guess you don't know what a caterpillar is either, huh?" 

_"No. You use another word which intrigues me, however. Partner. What is a partner?"_

"Partner?" Ken cocked his head to one side. "A partner is....well, it's someone you work with. Wormmon is my partner because we work together to fight. He's also my best friend." 

_"Friend? What is friend?"_

"A friend is....is someone you care about. Someone you feel deeply for." 

_"Do you have many friends?"_

"Well....I guess." Ken said thoughtfully. "Wormmon's my friend, and Daisuke, too, of course. And Takeru, Miyako, Hikari, and I think Iori. The rest of the older Chosen Children seem to be nice too, though I don't know if they count themselves as my friends. I think of them as friends, but....I don't know." 

_"I see. I do not have any of these...friends."_

"That's too bad." Ken smiled slightly, feeling a slight bond between himself and Kagami. "I didn't have any friends either, once. First I thought that I was too good for them, then I thought that no one would want to be my friend. But now I'm really happy that they've chosen to accept me as one of them. I don't know where I'd be without Daisuke and the others." 

_"I wish that I had some of these friends who you speak of. It is very lonely here in this lake, with no one around but myself."_

"I'm sorry," Ken said sincerely. "If--if you'd like, I'll be your friend. I know what it's like to be completely alone. It was the worst feeling I've ever had." 

_"I....thank you. I ask you another question. Do you have memories? Many precious memories?"_

"I--I suppose," Ken said, a little unsure. 

_"That is all I needed to know. Please, look into the lake."_

"Why?" Ken questioned hesitantly, peering down into the water with a curious look on his face. 

His reflection looked up at him and smirked. 

"What the--?" Ken stumbled back in shock a moment too late. Two glistening watery hands reached up out of the lake and grabbed him by the shoulders, holding him firmly in place. "L--let me go, you--" 

His voice was choked off by a gasp as a figure of water emerged from the lake. Slowly, it formed itself into the shape of a human. Its features hardened, and Ken suddenly found himself staring straight into his own eyes. 

"Do not fear," Kagami said, moving one hand up to brush Ken's bangs out of his eyes. "Your talk of memories and friends has made me curious. I wish to become you. I shall at last have a name and memories of my own." 

"But--but it's _my_ name!" Ken said, trying to break Kagami's grip. "And _my_ memories!" 

_I knew that this was an evil place,_ he thought desperately. _I should never have stopped running, never! I just want to go home..._

"Please, do not struggle. It will only make things harder." Kagami pressed the palm of one hand against Ken's cheek. 

Ken screamed as pain exploded through his head. His mind seemed to be rebelling against itself, tearing him apart from the inside... 

Kagami moaned in pleasure as he felt his mind filling with Ken's memories. After a few moments, he let go of Ken and the boy dropped to the ground, curling up in a fetal ball and trembling. 

"Just one more thing I need." Kagami reached down and removed Ken's black D-3, attaching it to his own belt. He pressed his hand against Ken's flushed face, smiling slightly. "I thank you for these memories, child without a name." 

Kagami took Ken by the hand and slowly lowered him into the lake. Ken slid inside without even marring the smooth surface. 

The false Ken gave another small smile and walked off. Meanwhile, the real Ken remained unconscious in his watery prison, a living reflection trapped inside a water mirror. 

---- 

The next chapter of this will be out whenever I get the chance to work on it. I've started work (as a cashier, in case anyone's wondering) and my bosses seem determined to work me to the bone whenever possible, leaving me less time for important things, like writing. Anyway, read, review, etc.


	2. Reflection

**Mizu-Kagami : Part Two**

Disclaimer: Same as before. The only one who's mine is Kagami (and since he's being Ken right now, I guess that only makes him half mine.) 

Author's Notes: Whoa, people actually liked that first part! Cool. Here's the second part (didn't take me as long as I thought it would to write, either.) 

o6-13-01 edit: Just fixed a little html mistake. I'm neurotic that way. 

---- 

"Calm down, Wormmon," Daisuke tried to soothe the anxious Digimon. Wormmon could not be comforted, however. Daisuke had finally returned home from a shopping trip with his family to find Ken's e-mail. Immediately, he and V-mon had gone to meet him in the Digital World, only to find a hysterical Wormmon waiting for them with a tale of how Ken had been sucked into the dark world again. 

"B-but Ken-chan might be hurt," sniffled Wormmon. "I can't calm down. He might need me and I'm not there." 

"That's not your fault, though," V-mon spoke up. 

"I should have held on tighter," Wormmon berated himself. "Now Ken-chan's g-g-gone. What if I don't get him back this time?" 

"Don't talk like that," Daisuke said, though there was a nervous edge to his voice. "We'll find some way to save Ken, I'm sure." 

"Save me from what?" The three whirled to see a familiar figure walking up to them, hands in his pockets, an amused smile on his face. 

"Ken-chan!" Wormmon was on him in a second, wiggling happily. Kagami smiled brightly at the little Digimon and hugged him. 

"Geez, Ken, you scared us!" Daisuke walked up to them, and Kagami's smile grew wider. "What happened?" 

"Nothing." Kagami shrugged. "I am fine, so you don't need to worry anymore." 

"What do you mean, nothing happened?" Daisuke repeated in disbelief. "You got sucked into the world of darkness, how can you say that nothing happened!?" 

"Nothing of importance." Kagami reached forward and took Daisuke's hand, stroking it softly. Daisuke froze and looked at him oddly. "Don't get so upset, my... friend. I'm okay now, so what does it matter what transpired in the world of darkness?" 

"I--I--" Daisuke stuttered, not sure what to do. Kagami continued to stroke his hand lightly. Daisuke snapped out of his stupor and pulled away. "What's with you? You're acting kinda...weird. Are you sure you're okay?" He pulled off one glove, then put a hand on Kagami's forehead. Almost immediately, he pulled it back. "Yow! You're freezing cold, did you know that?" 

"Really? I feel fine." Kagami shrugged again. "It is nothing to concern yourself over, Daisuke. It's getting late, I believe that Wormmon and I should head home." He bowed to Daisuke and V-mon, collected the little green Digimon, and headed for the nearest TV set. 

"Ken? Wait up!" Daisuke grabbed Kagami by the arm. "What happened? You're not acting like yourself." 

"That's ridiculous, Daisuke." Kagami ran a hand along Daisuke's cheek. "Who else would I be acting like? Now, I really need to get going. Goodbye." With that, he disappeared through the TV, leaving Daisuke and V-mon standing in the Digital World, alone and extremely confused. 

"That was weird," V-mon commented. "He isn't usually that touchy-feely, is he, Daisuke?" 

"No..." Daisuke pressed his hand to his cheek where Kagami had touched him. The other boy's hands had been freezing cold as well. He stared at the TV for a few moments, then shook his head. "C'mon, V-mon. We'd better head home, too. We're meeting the others here tomorrow anyway, so I can see if Ken's acting normal again. Maybe he's just in shock or something. I mean, he said that nothing happened to him, after all." 

But even as he raised his D-3, Daisuke couldn't help but think that whatever had happened in the world of darkness, it was most certainly not 'nothing.' 

~~~~ 

_Emptiness. Nothingness._

Ken floated silently underneath the waters of the mirror lake. Slowly, his eyes opened. He stared vacantly up at the water as his mind began to work sluggishly. 

_Who am I?_ he thought. _I can't recall._

Strangely, these thoughts did not worry him. He felt as if he _could_ not worry, as if he were almost indifferent to the fact that he had no memories. Curiously, he swam towards the surface, only to encounter a strange barrier between him and the outside, as if he was trapped beneath a layer of ice. This, too, did not worry him. He sunk back to the center of the lake. Idly, his mind pointed out the fact that he was able to breathe easily underneath the water. This he counted as an interesting new fact, and paused to take stock of what he could recall. 

_I don't recall...anything,_ he realized. Ken glanced down at himself, wondering at the curious gray uniform he appeared to be wearing. Everything about himself seemed new and different. _I don't remember myself. What am I? Who am I?_

From somewhere at the bottom of the lake, he received a reply that managed to slice through his veil of indifference and pierce his heart with icy terror. 

_You, little one, are nothing. Nothing at all._

~~~~ 

"Ken! Dinner!" Kagami and Minomon emerged from the computer just a second before Mrs. Ichijouji opened the door to Ken's room. "Ken, sweetie, are you okay? You look a little ragged." 

Kagami set Minomon down on the desk, where the Digimon lay still on his side, playing stuffed animal. Kagami brushed one hand through his hair, smoothing it out, then stood and walked over to Mrs. Ichijouji, taking her hand. 

"I'm fine, Mama," he said with a gentle smile. "Thank you very much for coming to get me for dinner. I quite appreciate it." 

"Oh, it was nothing honey." Mrs. Ichijouji smiled, obviously pleased at her 'son's reaction. "But are you sure you're all right? Your hands are like ice!" 

"I'm fine." Kagami deftly slipped his hand out of hers. "Perfectly fine. We should go eat before the food gets cold." 

"You're right, dear. Come along." Mrs. Ichijouji turned and headed towards the dining room. Kagami followed dutifully behind her, humming a soft, happy tune. 

All through dinner, Kagami was quiet and pleasant. He answered any questions directed towards him with ease, silently reveling in his new life. Once dinner was over, he turned to Mrs. Ichijouji and gave her a grateful smile. 

"That was a delicious meal. Thank you very much for taking the time to make it." 

"Oh, it was nothing, dear. But are you sure you're feeling okay?" Mrs. Ichijouji gave him a worried look. "You're acting a little strangely." 

"It's nothing," Kagami told her. "Perhaps I'm just tired. Would it be all right if I retired to my room for the evening?" 

"Of course, dear. I hope you feel better in the morning." 

"I'm certain that I will." 

"Ken-chan!" Minomon floated over to Kagami as he entered the room. 

"Hello, Minomon." Kagami offered the little Digimon some food he had smuggled from the table. "Is this enough for you?" Minomon nodded, his mouth full. 

Kagami seemed pleased at the reaction. He turned away from Minomon, and his eyes suddenly locked on the picture of Osamu sitting nearby. Curiously, he walked over to it, staring intently at the photograph. 

"Ken-chan? Is something wrong?" Minomon asked around a mouth full of food. 

"Oh.....it's nothing. I was just looking at this." He ran a hand along the smooth glass covering. "This is....Osamu, yes?" He didn't wait for the reply. Kagami's eyes softened as he whispered so quietly that Minomon couldn't even hear him, "Such a painful memory. I do not like this one. He never mentioned this feeling. My chest hurts, yet I do not know why. How curious." 

"Ken-chan? Are you sure you're okay?" Minomon gave him an odd look and Kagami set the picture down. He turned to face the Digimon with a smile plastered on his face. 

"As I said, it is nothing to be concerned about. I'll take a nap now. I want to be perfectly rested for tomorrow when we go to see Dai-chan and the others." 

Minomon swallowed and gave him a curious look. 

"Dai-chan? You've never called him that before," he pointed out. 

"Haven't I?" Kagami shrugged. "My mistake. He really is a very good friend, you know. I think I will like being with him." 

"What do you mean?" 

"Never mind." Kagami waved a hand airily. "If you can't figure it out yourself, there's no point in me bothering to explain it." 

"But Ken-chan--" 

"Are you going to let me sleep, Minomon?" Kagami glared at the little creature, and Minomon wilted. 

"I'll be quiet." The in-training watched his partner for a few more moments, then floated down to sleep under the bed, trying to understand the odd change that seemed to have come over his friend. 

_What if the dark ocean got him?_ Minomon thought fearfully. _What if--what if I've lost him again because I didn't hold on tight enough?_ He glanced up at the silhouette of Ken atop the bed. 

"I don't know what's happened, Ken-chan," he whispered. "But I won't let the darkness have you again. Not this time." With that vow, he closed his eyes and tried to get some sleep. 

~~~ 

"What do you mean, I'm nothing?" Ken turned slowly in the water, trying to identify who had spoken. "I--I'm not nothing!" 

_But who_ am _I?_ he thought. _I don't understand; what's happening?_

_You are nothing. A mere reflection of something that once was, but is no more. You are nothing, and you are mine._

As Ken watched in growing horror, a giant snake made all of shining liquid wormed its way up from the depths of the lake. Its cerulean eyes pierced him like a lance as its body coiled sinuously around him. Where the water touched him, it tore into him, shredding his shirt and causing several long, shallow cuts to appear across his back and chest. The blood hung in the water, filling Ken with a feeling of nausea and foreboding. 

"Stop it!" He fought uselessly against the tight coils, trying to free himself. The snake smiled a death's head grin and let him go, watching in amusement as he fled towards the surface of the lake, only to be repulsed by the barrier. 

_Now do you see? There is no escape. Surrender yourself to me, little one. I feel yet some dregs of memory around you. Surrender your mind and body, allow me to devour you, and your essence will remain here forever, perpetual and never-ending. This is my gift, if only you give yourself to me._

"I--I won't!" Ken beat uselessly against the barrier. "Please, let me go!" 

_It is useless to struggle. It serves only to prolong your pain. I do not wish to hurt you._ The snake curled around Ken again, looking him full in the face._ Think. Without your memories, you are left with only an empty soul. I wish to free you. Look.....you bleed._ Its watery tongue touched one of Ken's raw wounds, and he winced in pain. _Give up this resistance, and you will be allowed to sleep in peace. Do you not want peace?_

"Not like this!" Ken argued. "I may not remember anything, but I'm still alive! I'm still a--a whatever it is I am! Just because I'm without memories doesn't mean that I don't live!" 

_So you say._ The snake let him go, moving gracefully through the water above him as it regarded him with amusement, much in the way a cat might watch a trapped mouse. _But to live is more than breathing. If you have nothing inside you but emptiness, then there is no life. You are alone and lost. You are nothing._

"I'm not nothing!" Ken repeated, tears of frustration coming to his eyes. "I'm not! I'm--I'm--" 

_Yes?_ The glittering ocean eyes bore into him. Ken closed his eyes, trying to find the answer. It was brushing against the edges of his mind, a soft whisper of the past that hung just out of reach. He stretched for it, mental fingertips touching lightly against it.... 

And then the elusive memory swung completely out of reach, leaving Ken floating limply in the water with no answer to give. 

"I don't know," he finally said in a small, broken whisper. 

_That is as it should be._ The water snake wrapped around him again, gently, its coils caressing him like the touch of a lover as it purred in his ear. _As it should be._

Ken felt the rough scales brush against his skin, opening new wounds and blossoming red across his smooth pale skin. The thought of surrender hung in his mind along with the snake's unspoken question. But when he opened his mouth, the words wouldn't come out. Another memory alighted briefly inside him, like a dove upon a windowsill. 

"Daisuke," he whispered into the oppressive silence. "Please...help me." 

--- 

Hee hee....I'm so mean to poor Ken-chan. I won't leave him hanging for long, I promise....eh, better not promise. Part three will be done, uh, whenever I get around to writing it. Read, review, etc., etc.


	3. Ripples

**Mizu-Kagami Part Three**

Disclaimer: Same as always. Only Kagami's mine, and I doubt anyone else wants him. 

Author's Notes: Had some trouble with this chapter, but I think it turned out okay (except for the part where I had it all pretty and HTMLed and was ready to save it when my bloody computer froze. *kicks stupid computer*) Note that I use the words shinka and jogress in here in place of digivolve and DNA digivolve because the word digivolve bothers me. I don't hate the dub or anything, it's just that I always thought the word digivolve sounded kinda, uh.....dumb. For XV-mon's attack I also use X-laser because I figure if I'm using Japanese names I might as well be consistant and anyway, it _is_ an X. Why the dub calls it V-laser when it's obviously X-shaped is beyond me. Ah well. Read, review, yada yada yada. 

---- 

"Huh?" Daisuke glanced up from where his eyes had been intently studying the clock. 

"Something wrong?" Miyako questioned from her spot near the window. The newest generation of Chosen Children were gathered in the computer lab, waiting for their most recent member to arrive. 

"I thought I heard someone call my name just now," Daisuke admitted. "Didn't you guys hear it too?" 

"Daisuke, please keep the voices in your head to yourself," Takeru said with a hint of a smile. "The rest of us don't really need to hear about them." 

"Look who's talking," Daisuke muttered, making a face at him. "I'll bet you've got a whole family of voices under that stupid hat of yours." 

"Just one," said a voice from under said hat. Daisuke started in surprise. 

"W-what?" He stared at Takeru, wide-eyed. "Now I _know_ I heard that." 

"Heard what?" Patamon giggled as his head poked out from under Takeru's hat. The others laughed as Daisuke glared at Digimon and partner. 

"That was a dirty trick!" he accused. 

"I'm sorry I'm late, everyone." Daisuke whirled as Kagami entered the room, cradling Minomon in his arms. "I lost track of the time." 

"That's all right," Hikari assured him. "We weren't waiting long." 

"Y-yeah, it's okay," added Daisuke belatedly. He didn't know how to explain it, but something about Ken just seemed....wrong. He was beginning to get a little freaked out by it. Ken just seemed too....calm, too serene. Ken had never looked like that before, and, rather than reassuring Daisuke that his friend was all right, it was only worrying him more. 

"So let's get going," Miyako spoke up. "Now that we're all here." 

"Right." Daisuke turned from Kagami and held his D-3 up to the computer. "Digiport open!" 

The six children and their Digimon were swiftly transported to the Digital World. Daisuke turned to look at Kagami and was surprised to see his form seemingly waver for a moment, rippling like water. 

"K-Ken?" Daisuke rubbed his eyes, and when he looked again his companion looked perfectly solid. Kagami gave him an odd look. 

"Yes, Daisuke? Is something wrong?" 

"N-no. Nothing. I just thought I saw something, that's all," Daisuke lied. "Uh.... did any of you guys see anything strange when we came through?" 

"I didn't see anything," Iori said, and the others nodded in agreement. 

"Maybe you need to get your eyes checked," Takeru added. 

"You're acting a little odd today, Daisuke," added Hikari. "Maybe you should go home and lie down." 

"No, it's okay." Daisuke waved a hand. "I'm just--in a weird mood, that's all. Nothing to be worried about." 

"So, what are we doing today?" Miyako asked, changing the subject. "The Digital World's been pretty quiet lately, so there's not much reason for us to come back here except to have fun." 

"Agumon's supposed to show up soon," Hikari said. "Taichi and I talked to him last night. Something's been upsetting lots of the Digimon around here lately. He said that yesterday he almost got trampled by a herd of Monochromon. When they calmed down. he asked them what was wrong, and none of them were really sure why they were so upset. They were just scared all of a sudden; they didn't even know what scared them." 

"That's strange," Iori said. "Did Agumon have any idea what the problem could be?" 

"He didn't say, but--" Hikari paused as something orange appeared in the distance. "Here he comes. You can ask him yourself." 

"Hi guys!" Agumon came running up to them. "I'm glad you came. Things have gotten really weird ever since yesterday. There were at least three stampedes of wild Digimon, and that's just in the immediate area!" 

"Do you feel anything wrong?" Iori asked the orange Digimon. 

"A little." Agumon shifted nervously. "I feel it too. Something's wrong, but I'm not sure what." 

"What about you guys?" Miyako turned to Hawkmon. 

"I don't feel anything wrong," her Digimon replied. 

"That could be because we've been in the real world," Tailmon spoke up. "Since we weren't in the Digital World much yesterday, maybe whatever's wrong doesn't affect us." 

"We sent Tentomon to find Gennai," Agumon reported. "In case he knows anything about what's going on." 

"That was a good idea," Takeru said. "Until he comes back, though, I guess we'll just have to do what we can to try and calm everyone down." 

"Right!" Daisuke stepped forward, taking charge. "We should probably split into groups and each group can go a different way and talk to the Digimon we meet. Then we can all meet back here in about an hour or so. I'll go with Ken." 

"Thank you for volunteering to be my partner, Daisuke," Kagami said respectfully, with a tilt of his head. "I would be honored to go with you." 

"Uh....yeah." Daisuke looked at him nervously. Ken wasn't sounding much like himself either. 

"All right. I'll go with Iori, and Miyako and Hikari can search together," Takeru said. "We should probably be in our jogress pairings in case trouble arrives." 

"We'll meet back here in about an hour, okay?" Daisuke said. The others nodded. "All right! Come on, Ken." He grabbed Kagami by the arm and practically dragged him away. 

"Is something wrong, Daisuke?" Kagami asked curiously. Wormmon and V-mon both glanced at Daisuke expectantly. 

"You bet something's wrong!" Daisuke said raggedly. "What is up with you, Ken? You've been acting weird ever since yesterday. Did something happen in the dark world that you're not telling us about?" 

"Of course not." Kagami smiled sweetly and carefully pried Daisuke's hand off his arm. "Do not be so concerned my friend. Am I not allowed to act a little different every once in a while?" 

"This isn't 'a little different!'" Daisuke pressed. "It's like you're a whole different person!" 

"But that's ridiculous, Daisuke." Kagami reached up and carefully moved some of Daisuke's hair out of his eyes. Daisuke practically leaped backwards at the touch, blushing furiously. "Is something wrong?" 

"Yes! You're not usually so--so--" Daisuke struggled for a word and finally settled on V-mon's earlier assertion. "Touchy-feely." 

"Does it upset you?" Daisuke sucked in a sharp breath as Kagami pressed in closer. He could feel the other boy's breath on his cheek. 

"I--I--" Daisuke shook his head to clear it. "This isn't like you, Ken!" 

"But does it upset you? I am curious to know." Kagami smiled. "You like me, do you not? I am almost certain of it. It makes sense, yes?" 

"I--I--I'm not going to answer that!" Daisuke's head was a jumble of confusion. He didn't understand what was happening, and it was starting to freak him out. His tumultuous emotions weren't helping matters, either. 

"Why not?" Kagami's voice was not petulant or accusing. He sounded as if he truly wondered at the reason. "What is this feeling that causes your face to change colors? That causes your breath to quicken? What do I do to you that causes this reaction?" 

Daisuke's mouth worked but nothing came out. For once in his life, Daisuke Motomiya was speechless. 

Kagami leaned closer and began to ask another question, but a shout from V-mon cut him off. 

"Look over there!" The blue Digimon pointed. Daisuke shook himself out of his stupor and stared. There was a cloud of dust forming in the distance. 

"What is it?" he wondered. 

"It doesn't look good," Wormmon said. 

Daisuke took a few steps forward, trying to see better. Kagami hung back with Wormmon, waiting. 

"Can you tell what it is?" V-mon asked his partner. 

"Not....quite....yet..." Daisuke said slowly. His eyes suddenly widened. "Holy--! It's a stampede of Tyrannomon!" 

In front of the cloud there could now be seen the shapes of the large red Digimon, rushing towards them at top speed. 

"What should we do?" Wormmon turned to Kagami expectantly. 

"You guy's had better jogress," Daisuke said. "Those Tyrannomon are pretty big; I think Paildramon'd have a better chance at calming them down than XV-mon and Stingmon would." He reached for his D-3 and looked at V-mon who nodded. 

"Right! V-mon shinka....XV-mon!" 

Wormmon turned to Kagami. 

"I'm ready too, Ken-chan! Wormmon shinka..." 

Nothing happened. 

"What the...?" Daisuke looked from Wormmon, who was staring at himself in confusion, to Kagami, who was looking at his D-3 calmly, not looking at all surprised or dismayed at his partner's failure to evolve. "What's wrong? Are you hungry?" 

"I ate before we left," Wormmon told him. "I don't know why I can't evolve." He turned to Kagami. "Do you know what's wrong, Ken-chan?" 

"It didn't work." Kagami shrugged. "Perhaps there is simply something wrong with you today, Wormmon. My D-3 seems to be working fine." 

"We don't have time to figure it out," Daisuke decided. "XV-mon! Think you can handle those guys yourself?" 

"I can try," XV-mon replied, nodding. He flew towards the stampeding Tyrannomon. Daisuke watched nervously as his Digimon tried to stop the stampede. 

"Hey! What is it, why are you guys so scared?" XV-mon flew along side the Tyrannomon. The frightened Digimon didn't reply, so XV-mon decided it was time to try another tactic. He flew a ways in front of them and let loose an attack. "X-laser!" 

The beam hit the ground just in front of the Tyrannomon. Rather than having the desired effect of stopping or at least slowing them down, the Digimon continued to run blindly, fueled by some unknown terror. 

"It's not working!" XV-mon glanced back at Daisuke, Kagami and Wormmon. "I'm not strong enough to stop them all!" 

"We need Paildramon." Daisuke turned desperately to Wormmon. "Are you sure you can't evolve at all?" 

"I've been trying!" Wormmon said. His blue eyes traveled to the D-3 at Kagami's belt, which remained still and dark. "Nothing's working. I don't know what's wrong!" 

Before Daisuke could say anything more, XV-mon cried out. They all turned just in time to see the Digimon fly too close to one the Tyrannomon and be batted away. XV-mon crashed to the ground a few feet away and de-evolved back into V-mon. 

"V-mon!" Heedless of the danger, Daisuke ran towards his partner. Wormmon started to follow, then paused when he realized that his partner hadn't moved. 

"Ken-chan, we have to do something!" Wormmon turned to Kagami. 

"You cannot evolve." Kagami shrugged. "There is nothing we can do, then. Perhaps there is something wrong with you that you have not yet realized?" 

"B-but Ken-chan..." Wormmon's voice trailed off as he lowered his head. 

Daisuke, meanwhile, had nearly reached V-mon. The Tyrannomon had already passed him by and were stampeding somewhat in Kagami's direction when they skidded to a stop, staring at him. Daisuke was too distressed to notice, but Wormmon saw quite clearly as the Tyrannomons' eyes widened and they turned, as one, and retreated the opposite way....back towards Daisuke and V-mon. Daisuke looked up to see the Digimon rushing towards him. His face blanched and he hurriedly tried to move himself and V-mon out of their way. 

As Kagami watched the Tyrannomon advance on Daisuke, a strange feeling surged through him. He saw, in the haze of his stolen memories, a mental vision of Osamu, the same boy whose picture he had stared at the night before, crossing a busy street and being hit by a car. As his mind replayed the fatal impact, he felt an odd clenching feeling in his chest and, without even realizing it, he began to run towards Daisuke. 

The Tyrannomon were faster than Kagami, but didn't matter. As Daisuke and V-mon closed their eyes and prepared to be trampled, the Tyrannomon caught sight of Kagami and immediately swerved, running off in yet another direction. Wormmon watched the entire thing with wide eyes, mentally scrambling for an explanation as to why the Tyrannomon had seemed so afraid of his partner. Surely they still didn't think of Ken as the Digimon Kaiser...? 

"Daisuke?" Daisuke opened his eyes when he felt a light touch on his shoulder. Kagami was looking at him with oddly sad eyes. "Are you okay?" 

"Uh....I think so." Daisuke examined himself quickly, then, satisfied that he still had all of his limbs, turned to his Digimon. "V-mon? What about you?" 

"I'm okay," the blue Digimon assured him. 

"That's good." Kagami leaned back, one hand going over his heart. "I had the strangest feeling just now. My chest was hurting again. Do you understand it, Daisuke?" 

"I'm not sure what you mean." Daisuke gave him a worried glance. "You're not hurt, are you?" 

"No....this is not a wound." Kagami's voice was unsure, questioning. "It is so odd. I do not understand it. I feel that I should know why I hurt so, but I do not. I thought that only a wound hurt like this, yet it seems I was wrong." 

"Ken-chan?" Wormmon slowly crawled over to where the three were sitting. "Are you all right? The Tyrannomon--" 

"I wonder what scared them away," Kagami interrupted him. "It was very strange indeed, Daisuke. They all just turned and ran the other way for no reason at all." 

"But--" Wormmon started to speak up, but Kagami cut him off again. 

"I suppose it does not matter either way. Come, Daisuke, perhaps we should get back to the others. They will want to know what happened." Kagami stood and offered Daisuke a hand to help him up. 

"R-right." Daisuke took the proffered hand with a curious glance at Wormmon, who was looking fairly upset for some reason. 

When Daisuke and Kagami finally rejoined with the rest of the team, they discovered that they hadn't been the only ones with a near miss. Takeru and Iori, with help from their Digimon, of course, had managed to calm down two rather upset Meramon. Like the Monochromon Agumon had met, the Meramon had no idea what had agitated them so much. 

"We had a problem with some Tyrannomon," Daisuke reported. "But we didn't get a chance to ask them what was wrong." 

"Why not?" Takeru questioned. 

"It was my fault," Wormmon spoke up miserably. "I couldn't evolve." 

"Were you hungry?" Miyako questioned. Wormmon shook his head. 

"Are you sick?" Hikari asked. Wormmon shook his head again. 

"I feel okay," he said. "I feel like I _should_ be able to evolve, but...I can't. Ken-chan and Daisuke and V-mon were almost hurt because of me." 

"It wasn't your fault," V-mon tried to comfort him. "Maybe whatever's wrong with the Digital World interfered." 

"But you evolved without a problem," Wormmon pointed out. "And so did Patamon and Armadimon. So it must be something wrong with me. Or...." He trailed off and glanced almost imperceptibly in Kagami's direction, remembering the strange behavior of the Tyrannomon. _Maybe it _isn't_ me...._

"I think we should go," Kagami said calmly. "I need to get home or my parents will worry." 

"It's not that late," Daisuke said. "You could stay a while longer..." 

"Thank you for the offer, but I really must go." Kagami bowed respectfully and walked towards the nearest TV. "Come on, Wormmon." 

"Coming." Wormmon hurried to catch up with his partner, casting one unhappy look backwards. Daisuke watched them go with mixed feelings. 

"That was weird," Takeru commented once they were out of sight. "I wonder why he left so abruptly?" 

"He's been acting wrong ever since yesterday," Daisuke murmured. 

"Did he say anything strange to you?" Iori questioned. 

"He...." Daisuke trailed off, not sure if he wanted to reveal exactly what Kagami had said to him. He shook his head. "Nothing important, really, but.....well, it wasn't something Ken would usually say. He's been acting so....so not-Ken, I guess. I mean, with Ken, there's always something in him. You look into his eyes, and you see some sort of deep emotion that he's hiding. But ever since I ran into him yesterday, his eyes have been kinda flat. Indifferent, like he's not really feeling anything. He's even been talking kinda funny." 

"Do you think something could have happened to him in the world of darkness?" Hikari wondered. 

"Maybe." Daisuke looked thoughtful. "He said it was nothing, but I don't think I believe him. The Ken I know would've been majorly freaked after being pulled into the dark ocean, but he's acting like it was just another day." 

"What does Wormmon think?" Miyako spoke up. "I mean, he knows Ken better than any of us, right?" 

"I never got a chance to ask him," Daisuke admitted. He glanced down at V-mon and smiled grimly. "But I think I have an idea about how to do that...." 

~~~~ 

Ken was safe, for the moment. The snake had retreated momentarily, though it was still watching him from a distance. Ken knew that it was toying with him. At the first sign of surrender it would dart in again, whispering poison words in his ears. 

The thought of that chill touch made Ken shiver with something beyond cold, beyond pain. He wrapped his arms about himself, touching what was left of his tattered shirt. His pale skin was marred by jagged scars, and he looked as bedraggled as a kitten in the rain. 

"Daisuke," he whispered, his voice hoarse from the useless attempt at convincing the water snake to leave him be. The name tasted sweet on his lips, and he liked the sound of it in his ears. He couldn't quite recall whose name it was. All he knew was that it belonged to someone who he cared about, who he trusted to come save him. 

_Then why isn't he here?_ one part of Ken's mind demanded. It was the part which was sore and weary, ready to give in to the snake's promise of peace. Ken shook his head violently, causing bubbles to form from the sudden movement. The bubbles comforted him for some reason. _He_ will_ come. He's all I remember, so he must be important to me. If he's so important that I remember him and nothing else, he's got to care for me enough to come rescue me._

The thought gave him strength, until another unpleasant thought burst in. 

_What if I made him up? What if the name is something formed by my own fevered brain and misery, and there is no Daisuke? What if I really am nothing, and I'm all alone?_

The snake, sensing his momentary weakness, inched closer to him, its eyes shining with pleasure. Ken balked reflexively and looked longingly towards the barrier. He could see very little through the water, but he imagined that he could see a shining place of comfort and safety, and let the feeling run through his body. He had to escape. He was certain that once Daisuke came and freed him, everything would be all right. It had to be. He would see that Daisuke was real, and then he would be certain that he was _not_ nothing. 

_Unless he's just a figment,_ said a voice, and Ken wasn't certain if it was the snake or his own mind speaking. _Does nothing dream of escaping the prison which cannot be escaped from?_

"No!" Ken said aloud, shaking his head again. "He's real. He must be. He's real, and he'll come for me." Despite his words, Ken couldn't suppress the uncertainty and fear that hovered on the edges of his mind, slowly closing in on him in an attempt to swallow him whole. 

_He _will_ come....won't he?_

---- 

Yes, I'm evil. Poor Ken-chan, I put him through so much. I love torturing my favorite characters (Is that twisted or what?) *^_^*


	4. Refraction

**Mizu-Kagami Part Four**

Disclaimer: If you didn't read it in the last three chapters, you aren't going to read it now. If you did read it, then I don't need to put one in this chapter, do i? 

Author's Notes: Hmm...not much to say about this chapter. I had a little trouble with this one too, but I got it done. Review and such. 

---- 

The next afternoon, Daisuke stood nervously in front of the door to Ken's apartment. Chibimon sat beside him, looking curiously at his partner. 

"What's wrong?" the Digimon asked. 

"I was just thinking." Daisuke shifted uncomfortably. "What if that's not Ken in there? And--and if it isn't, then where's the real Ken? What if he's--if he's---you know.... _gone_? For good?" He stared fixedly at the door. "What if I never see him again?" 

"You won't know unless you knock on the door, will you?" Chibimon questioned. "Don't worry. I'll ask Minomon if Ken's been acting strange. He'll know for sure if Ken's not himself." 

"Yeah...." Daisuke sighed. "Well, here goes." He knocked on the door. After a few tense moments of waiting, Kagami appeared. 

"Daisuke? What are you doing here?" 

"I--uh, I just wanted to make sure you were all right," Daisuke lied. "We sent you an e-mail to meet us in the Digital World and you never showed up." 

"E-mail? I did not receive any e-mail," Kagami said curiously. 

_That's because we didn't send you one,_ Daisuke thought anxiously. 

"Oh? That's weird. You gonna invite me in or do I have to stand here all day?" 

"I am not sure if you should come in," Kagami replied warily. "My parents are both currently at work." 

"Then I'll keep you company until they get home!" Daisuke slipped inside before Kagami could think to close the door. "Hey, Chibimon, why don't you go find Minomon and play with him while Ken and I talk?" 

"Right!" Chibimon dashed off towards Ken's bedroom. 

"So, what do you want to do?" Daisuke wandered around the living room, hands behind his head as he explored it, as if it was his first time in the apartment. "Lesee... we could play video games. Nah, forgot, you don't have any of that kinda stuff. You should ask your parents to get a Playstation or something. Hmm...nothing good on TV." 

"Um...we could play some of the, uh, games on the computer?" Kagami ventured uncertainly. 

"No!" Daisuke said quickly. _Chibimon's in the bedroom with Minomon; we'll never learn anything if Ken's in there with him!_ "How about, uh, we get a snack? Yeah, a snack! Come on! To the refrigerator!" Grabbing Kagami by the arm, Daisuke dragged him into the kitchen, chatting randomly about whatever came to his mind. 

Meanwhile, Chibimon peeked into Ken's dimly lit room. Seeing no movement whatsoever, he ventured a hesitant, 

"Minomon?" 

There was a scuffling noise, and then Minomon peered out from under the bed. 

"Chibimon? Is Daisuke here too?" 

"He sent me in to talk to you," Chibimon said. "He wanted to know if Ken's been acting weird lately." 

Minomon looked suddenly very nervous. 

"He hasn't been acting right," the little Digimon confirmed. "He's been so.... distant. Ken-chan usually talks to me about everything, but he's barely said anything to me these past few days. Whenever I ask him if something's wrong, he tells me to be quiet and not to think about it." 

"Did he act that way when he was the Kaiser?" Chibimon wondered. 

"No, it's not like that," Minomon assured him. "Ken-chan isn't being cruel to me. He's just....not talking. He acts nice enough, but he doesn't act like my Ken-chan. And then there's..." Minomon's voice trailed off. 

"What?" Chibimon nearly bounced up and down in impatience. "What is it? Did he do something or say something? What?" 

"You remember when the Tyrannomon stampeded?" Minomon said in a hushed voice. "When you were knocked out, the Tyrannomon were running towards Ken-chan and me. But when they saw him, something happened. They turned and ran, looking absolutely terrified. Like something about Ken-chan scared them. The same thing happened when he ran to save Daisuke. The Tyrannomon saw him and swerved to avoid him. And when I tried to tell you and Daisuke about it, he cut me off. He didn't want me to tell you." 

"Did they think he was still the Kaiser?" Chibimon questioned. A strange sense of foreboding was starting to come over him. 

"That's what I thought, at first," Minomon admitted. "But now I don't think so. If they thought he was the Kaiser, they wouldn't be scared. They'd be angry. And we were alone, unarmed. If the Tyrannomon really thought that Ken-chan was still the Kaiser, they wouldn't have run. They would have attacked. It doesn't make any sense that they would be terrified of him if he wasn't even dressed as the Kaiser, without any Digimon around as a bodyguard except me. There was something else about Ken-chan that they didn't like." 

Chibimon nodded slowly, feeling confused. Something was obviously wrong, then, but he had no idea what. 

"I think we need to talk to Daisuke and everybody else," Chibimon decided. "Because we obviously have no clue what's going on." 

"That's assuming they know more than we do," Minomon pointed out. "But I guess you're right. It may be the only way to get Ken-chan back. I'm sure of one thing, though. Something happened to him when he got sucked into the dark world. It didn't make him the Kaiser again, but--but it didn't leave him the same either." 

"You'd better come with us," Chibimon added. "We can't let Ken know that we're on to him, and I think everyone needs to hear what you have to say." 

"All right." Minomon nodded glumly. "I just want my Ken-chan back." 

"I know." Chibimon patted him comfortingly. 

While the two Digimon talked, Daisuke was attempting to keep Kagami interested in him. He was babbling and he knew it, but he couldn't think of any other way to keep him from going to find the Digimon. 

"So then Hikari and Miyako took my soccer ball," he said as he sifted through Ken's refrigerator. "And they tried to hit me over the head with it! Can you believe those girls, Ken?" 

"Is there something wrong?" Kagami asked idly. 

"Wrong? What do you mean?" Daisuke laughed nervously. 

"You are acting....upset," Kagami said slowly. "I can hear your breath speed up. Your pulse has quickened. What causes this reaction?" 

"Nothing!" Daisuke said quickly. "It's nothing at all, Ken, nothing to be worried about." 

"If it is nothing, then why do you act in this manner?" Kagami pressed in close, his face inches away from Daisuke's. He brought up a hand to brush Daisuke's cheek and the other boy stumbled backwards, nearly falling into the refrigerator. 

"Did I scare you?" Kagami questioned. 

"N-no," Daisuke stuttered. "It's just....your hands are cold." 

"Is that a problem?" 

"No, I just--I mean--" Daisuke swallowed. "Nothing." 

"What is wrong with your face?" Kagami arched an eyebrow curiously. 

"Huh?" Daisuke cocked his head. "Is there something on my face?" 

"It has changed color again." Kagami eyed him with interest. "Why does your face always seem to turn red when I come near? Do I upset you, perhaps?" 

"I'm not upset," Daisuke said quickly. "I'm--uh, I'm--" 

Kagami moved close again and Daisuke scrambled to his feet, ducking out of the refrigerator. 

"Ken, what is wrong with you?" Daisuke choked out. "You don't act like this, I _know_ you don't--" 

"Do you wish me to act different?" Kagami pressed. He moved closer, his mouth almost touching Daisuke's. "You never answered me when I asked you before, in the Digital World. Do I do something to you that makes you angry?" 

"I--I---" Daisuke retreated again, suddenly feeling very confused. _ Is he...is he going to...?_

~~~~ 

Floating helplessly in the water, Ken was suddenly aware that something was wrong. He didn't know what it was, only that it bothered him. Goosebumps rose along his bare arms, and his breath quickened. Something was happening, something that he didn't want to happen. 

_Why am I feeling this way? he shuddered. What's wrong with me? I can't remember anything and I'm trapped and I'm nothing--_

_No! I'm _not_ nothing!_

_If you are here, you are nothing,_ the snake reminded him softly. _Have you forgotten _that,_ as well?_

"But I'm _not!"_ Ken whispered, his voice ragged. "I-I have a memory. I remember Daisuke." 

_And who is that?_ the snake hissed. 

"He's--he's--" Ken broke off. He didn't know. He only had that name, the name he recalled even when he had forgotten his own. 

_Enough of this useless struggling._ The snake curled up around him again._ Why do you continue to resist? Your hero shall not come to save you. Your memories shall not return, if you ever had any to begin with. I tire of this futile struggle of yours. It was amusing at first, but I am beginning to get impatient. Surrender yourself to me and I will give you peace. Struggle and I can only bring you more pain._

"I won't, I won't, I _won't!"_ Ken was aware of how small his voice sounded, even in the vast silence. The snake hissed in annoyance and squeezed a little tighter, forcing Ken to bite his lip to keep from crying out. He was alone and miserable, and no one was coming to rescue him. 

_Nobody coming to rescue me._ The thought chilled him more than the waters and the snake. _Nobody. Nobody knows I exist. Do I exist? Or....or am I...?_

_At last you understand._ The snake coiled around his legs and began to pull him down towards the dark center of the lake. Ken stared into the deep ocean abyss and was filled with a wild, animal sort of terror. 

"No!" He fought uselessly, thrashing about like a fish caught in the tentacles of an octopus. "No! Let me go! I don't--I don't want to--" 

The snake ignored him, pulling him even deeper into the water. 

"No! _Daisuke!!"_

~~~~ 

_"Daisuke!!"_

The shout exploded in Daisuke's mind, so sudden and unexpected that he fell to the ground. Kagami immediately rushed to his side, leaning over him. 

"Are you all right? You fell," Kagami said. 

"I-I thought I heard--" Daisuke swallowed. "Did you say my name? I could've sworn I heard you screaming my name." 

"I said nothing." Kagami's face went completely blank and emotionless as he spoke. Daisuke felt a strange shiver rising along his back as he stared at the other boy. 

"But I was certain that I heard--" Kagami cut him off quickly. 

"Perhaps you should leave if you are not feeling well. I would not like you to get sick because of me." 

"Uh....ano..." Daisuke hedged, trying to think of a good excuse to stay. 

"Would you like me to go retrieve Chibimon?" Kagami suggested. 

"Oh, no, I'll do it." Daisuke scrambled to his feet and headed into the bedroom, leaving Kagami staring after him in confusion. 

"Hey, Chibimon, you in here?" Daisuke poked his head into Ken's bedroom. He squinted in the dimness of the room. "Geez, how can Ken see anything in this room? Does he have something against 100-watt light bulbs?" 

"Daisuke?" Chibimon clambered out from under the desk, followed hesitantly by Minomon. 

"We gotta go," Daisuke told him. 

"I'm coming too," Minomon said. "There's some things I need to tell everybody." 

"Erm...okay. Get in here." Daisuke pulled off his backpack and opened it. Minomon jumped in. "Be real quiet until we get outside. I don't want Ken knowing I took you." 

Kagami was waiting when Daisuke came out the room with Chibimon perched on his head. Daisuke was trying his best to seem nonchalant, but his backpack felt three times heavier than it should've been. 

"I, uh, I guess I'll be going now," Daisuke said, heading for the door. "See you tomorrow?" 

"Of course, Daisuke." Kagami opened the door for him. "I hope to see you as soon as possible." 

"That's....good." Daisuke exited the apartment and hurried down the hall. "See you later!" 

Once he had turned the corner and heard Kagami shut the door, Daisuke opened up his backpack to let Minomon out. 

"It smells funny in there!" the green Digimon protested as he floated out. 

"Sorry." Daisuke shrugged. "Those are my soccer clothes in there; Mom hasn't gotten around to washing them for a few days. So what was so important that Chibimon couldn't tell us?" 

"It was the Tyrannomon--" Minomon was cut off by a beeping noise from Daisuke's D-Terminal. He dug through the backpack and pulled the device out. 

"Hey, I got an e-mail from Tentomon!" Daisuke exclaimed. "He says that Gennai wants to talk to us.....and it says not to tell Ken about it." 

The three exchanged glances. 

"I think we'd better find a computer," Daisuke stated. "You two get back in my backpack; we'll move quicker that way." 

"If Gennai can help us fix whatever's wrong with Ken-chan, I'll willingly endure your dirty laundry," Minomon replied as he headed back in the backpack, and Chibimon followed him. 

"All right. Let's get going." Daisuke glanced back quickly at the closed door of Ken's apartment, then started walking towards the elevator. 

_Don't worry, Ken,_ he thought fiercely. _Whatever's wrong with you, I'm going to figure out how to fix it._

_No matter what._

~~~~ 

The depths of the lake were colder than the Digimon Kaiser's heart. Ken felt completely numb all over and was finding it hard to move his limbs. The chill bit fiercely at his exposed skin and there was far too much skin exposed for Ken's taste. He didn't know where the snake had gone, only that its presence had retreated for some reason. 

The barrier had changed. Now he was repulsed if he ever got too high out of the cold and the darkness. He had swum to the highest point possible, so close to the barrier that he could reach out and touch it. It was marginally warmer there, but only just so. He was surprised that there weren't icicles forming in his hair. 

Ken flexed his fingers, trying to keep the circulation flowing. He had to keep his legs moving constantly, otherwise they grew too cold and hard to move and he sank. He held the remains of his shirt close to him, grasping for the smallest warmth he could gather. 

Daisuke wasn't coming for him. He had resigned himself to that fact. If Daisuke was coming for him, surely he would have arrived before now, before the dark and the cold swallowed him. Unless he had made Daisuke up, of course. There was always that possibility, though Ken stubbornly refused to believe it. No, his unknown savior existed and simply didn't care enough to save him. 

_Because I'm nothing,_ Ken thought tiredly, broken at last. _Nothing important. Nothing worth saving._

And even as he thought that, it seemed that the barrier sank deeper, forcing him ever closer to the lake bottom. 

---- 

Eep, I'm just being worse and worse to poor Ken-chan. But it's only because I love him. *^_^* In the next part, I will be using Gennai like the walking excuse for exposition he is, because there's really no other way to explain everything I've set up without having someone do it for me.


	5. Illumination

**Mizu-Kagami Part Five**

Disclaimer: Um...whatever. I'm too tired to write something witty here today. 

Author's Notes: Meet the chapter which is lovingly subtitled in my files as "The Exposition Chapter." This chapter contains lots of talk and exposition (that's what Gennai's here for, right?) I had a bit of trouble, but I got it done just in time to post on my birthday, so yay for me. Remember, it's nice to leave good reviews on the author's birthday. It will make her happy and she might write the next part faster (Okay, I'm lying, actually it'll probably have little bearing on how fast I write, but, hey, it was worth a shot, right? Damn, these are long notes today.) 

--- 

"I'm here, I'm here!" Daisuke practically fell through the barrier between the real and Digital World. He landed in a heap on the grass, his backpack opening and spilling two suddenly very crowded Digimon onto the ground beside him. 

"Are we late?" V-mon looked up from where he lay sprawled beside his partner. Wormmon was already working his way to his feet. 

"You're the last ones here, if that's what you mean," Miyako informed him. She and the rest of the younger Chosen Children were crowded around Daisuke and his companions. 

"But you haven't talked to Gennai yet, right?" Wormmon asked anxiously. 

"Why are you here, Wormmon? I thought you'd be with Ken," Iori spoke up. Wormmon looked downcast and glanced sideways at V-mon. Daisuke shook his head. 

"I think we all know that there's something wrong with Ken," he said gravely. He sighed. "I just hope Gennai can tell us how to fix it." 

"Then let's get going to meet him," Takeru said, starting to walk. The others followed him. 

"I thought you said that Gennai lived underwater," Daisuke pointed out. "How're we gonna get into his house? I'm not holding my breath for that long." 

"We're not going to his house," Takeru said. "Tentomon sent me directions. We're meeting them in a clearing in the forest protected by Garurumon." 

"Oh." Daisuke lapsed into silence, his eyes low. Wormmon glanced up at him, feeling comforted by the fact that Daisuke was just as concerned about Ken as he was. 

Takeru lead them through a thick forest. The Digimon stuck close to their partners, not wanting to get lost. Wormmon walked side by side with V-mon and wondered if Ken had noticed that he was missing yet. 

"There you guys are!" Suddenly, a familiar winged figure came out of the trees. 

"Tentomon!" Hikari greeted him happily. 

"Is Gennai here?" Iori asked. 

"He's waiting for you," Tentomon told him. "Follow me." 

The Digimon led them into a small clearing. Gennai was waiting for them there, seated upon a log. His face was grave. 

"I'm glad you've come," he said seriously as the Chosen Children gathered around him. 

"Skip the pleasantries," Daisuke said bluntly. "What's wrong with Ken? You know, don't you?" 

"Yes." Gennai nodded. "I know." 

"So? Spill," Daisuke said, hopping from one foot to the other. 

"All right, all right." Gennai looked from Daisuke to Wormmon grimly. "The boy you've been talking to these past few days isn't Ken. He may look like Ken and he may have Ken's memories, but he isn't Ken. His name is Kagami, and he....well, he isn't anything at all." 

There was silence as Gennai allowed his information to sink in. Wormmon looked close to tears, and Daisuke found that his throat had gone dry. 

_I knew it,_ he thought grimly. _I knew that couldn't be Ken._

"But if that's not Ken," he said, speaking his thoughts aloud, "then where is Ken? He--he's not--" 

"No." Gennai shook his head. "Ken isn't dead." 

_At least there's that,_ Daisuke thought, relieved. 

"Though he may wish he was," Gennai continued. 

_Dammit, dammit, dammit!_ Daisuke shook his head. This was not good. 

"So where is he? Can we go save him?" Daisuke pressed. He was ready to go rushing off to save his friend, and Wormmon and V-mon, at least, seemed to be in complete agreement with him. 

"Ken is trapped in the world of darkness," Gennai explained. "He is imprisoned in a place known as Mirror Lake, no doubt trapped by the Guardian." 

"Huh?" Daisuke blinked cluelessly. "Run that by me again." 

"The world of darkness is, in many ways, the negative reflection of the Digital World," Gennai said slowly. "With every light, after all, one must have shadows. The dark world is this world's shadow, and, just like the Digital World, it has dangers of its own. Mirror Lake is one of these. I don't know who created it, or how. But somehow, in the early years of the Digital World, when the dark world itself was newly formed, a creature was created. A predator, who was neither Digimon nor human, but rather something in between. Something that was never meant to be in this world. You see, this predator, the Guardian, does not feed on flesh alone. It feeds on _essence._

Mirror Lake is, for lack of a better comparison, a spider's web. When a victim falls into it, they are trapped, unable to escape. Then the Guardian whispers its poison into their ears until..." 

"Until what?" Takeru prompted. Daisuke shifted nervously, not sure if he really wanted to hear this. 

"Until surrender. Once a being captured by the Guardian surrenders, that being's body will be torn up and nothing will remain but an essence, without form or memory." Gennai's eyes were grave. "The creature that is currently calling itself Ken was the Guardian's prey. Once, Kagami was a human. A Chosen Child, though I don't know what part of the world he was from. Somehow, he was sucked into the world of darkness, just like Ken. And like Ken, he spoke with the remains of the Guardian's previous prey. That prey stole Kagami's memories and form and left Kagami trapped in the lake, just as Ken was trapped. But Kagami's friends never came to rescue him, and so he easily surrendered to the Guardian. His body was destroyed, and no one ever even knew that the creature who stole his form was no the real Kagami. I don't even know what Kagami's real name was, what he really looked like. But I do know that, to Kagami's family, to his friends, Kagami never disappeared. He was replaced, and no one ever realized it." 

There was silence following his pronouncement as the children let Gennai's words sink in. _No one even realized it._

_What would that be like?_ Daisuke thought, chilled. _To have somebody take my place....and to have nobody even realize it. That's--that's awful! How could they not notice? What if....what if _I _hadn't noticed that something was wrong? I would've lost Ken for good....I still might..._

"No!" Daisuke shook his head. "I'm sorry about what happened to Kagami but--but that doesn't give him the right to do the same thing to Ken! _We_ saw that something was wrong, and there's no way I'm gonna just quietly accept Kagami as Ken's replacement!" 

"But are we too late?" Miyako spoke up unexpectedly. Her face was lowered and her fists were clenched. "Is Ken....I mean, is he.....beyond our help?" 

"No." Gennai shook his head and Daisuke felt giddy with relief. "You see, balance is a very important thing in the Digital World. Any small upset and everything goes strange. The control spires weakened the barrier between this world and the dark one, and that barrier is only just being rebuilt. Because the barrier is so thin, Ken was sucked into the dark world. 

"Mirror Lake was one of the first things to appear in the dark world. Thus, it is _connected_ to that world. When the Guardian has no essence to feed on, it grows restless and searches for other prey. That's why all the Digimon have been anxious lately. Until Ken surrenders to the Guardian or something surrenders in his place, the balance will be upset. For the moment, Ken was not surrendered, so he can still be saved." 

"Then let's go!" Daisuke said. "We have to get to Ken soon, right? So let's go. Find a way to open the door to the dark world, and we'll go rescue Ken." 

"It's not that easy," Gennai said. "Even if you free Ken, the Guardian still needs someone to prey on. If you rescue Ken, then it means someone must take his place." 

"That's awful." Hikari shivered. "Do you mean that, if we rescue Ken, we'd be condemning an innocent Digimon to the same fate?" 

"Yes." Gennai nodded. 

"We can't do that," Iori said. "It wouldn't be right." 

"Well, what else do you want to do?" Daisuke's voice was ragged. "Leave Ken there? Let Kagami take his place? I say, we drag Kagami back there and stick him back in the damn lake, and get Ken out of there!" 

"But Kagami hasn't done anything to us," Takeru pointed out. "All he wanted to do was escape. He was the victim once, just like Ken is now." 

"So what?" Daisuke argued. "That doesn't excuse what he did! Ken didn't deserve to be sucked into that stupid lake. What Kagami did makes him just as bad as whoever it was that took Kagami's place originally. If we leave Ken there, one day he might do the same thing to someone. And the Ken I know would hate himself if he realized that he had done such a thing. I don't care if Kagami doesn't 'deserve' to be trapped again. Ken sure as hell doesn't deserve to be there either. And there's no way I'm gonna leave him there just because you guys don't think we should send Kagami back where he came from." 

"But there must be another way," Hikari said softly. 

"I agree with Hikari," Miyako added. "I know how you feel, Daisuke. None of us want to lose Ken. But....can we really condemn an innocent just to save our friend? Isn't--well, aren't we being selfish, then?" 

"So I'll be selfish!" Daisuke raged. "If I have to, I'll go alone to save Ken. I'm his friend, and a true friend wouldn't leave him." 

"You won't go alone," V-mon spoke up. "I'll follow you anywhere, Daisuke!" 

"Me, too!" Wormmon added. "I won't lose Ken-chan. Not this time." 

There was silence for a moment, before Takeru shook his head and smiled. 

"ll right. I'm in too. I don't like what it'll mean, but....well, I'm not willing to quietly give up and let Ken die." 

"I didn't say I _wouldn't_ go," Miyako put in sheepishly. 

"Gennai," Iori spoke up, "what about the Guardian? If we can find a way to stop him, will that put things right? Then we can save Ken without having to sacrifice anyone else." 

"I suppose it would work," Gennai admitted. "With the Guardian gone, the lake would become a normal landmark. There wouldn't be any trouble in this world; it would be as peaceful as if the Guardian's hunger was satisfied. But..." 

"There's always a 'but...'" Daisuke grumbled. 

"The Guardian is an ancient entity," Gennai said, ignoring him. "Even with the power of all your Digimon combined, you might not be able to defeat him." 

"We won't know unless we try, will we?" Daisuke stated. 

"A creature like that has no place in _any_ world," Hikari added. "If we--if we destroy him, then no one else will have to suffer what Kagami did, and what Ken is going through right now." 

"So how do we enter the dark world?" Iori questioned, always the more practical one of the group. 

"I believe I can take care of that," Gennai said. "With some help from my counterparts around the world, I may be able to briefly open a door to the dark world. But it will take time, and even then, the door can only be opened for a short time. You run the risk of being stuck there permanently." 

"Then it's a risk I'm willing to take," Daisuke proclaimed. "Are you guys with me?" The others nodded. 

"All right. If you're resolved to this course of action, I won't try to sway you." Gennai stood. "But as I said, it will take me and my companions time to gather up enough power to open a dark gate. The only reason we may be able to is because the barriers are still weak due to the control spires. I will send you an e-mail sometime tomorrow before we open it. You must all be ready. Understand?" 

"But by tomorrow Ken-chan may--he may be--" Wormmon couldn't continue. 

"I know," Gennai said gravely. "But it will take that long to open the gate." 

"Don't worry, Wormmon," Daisuke said, swallowing the sudden lump in his throat. "Ken's strong, remember? He won't give up. There's no way he would." 

Wormmon nodded, but he didn't feel very reassured. After all, how could he believe Daisuke's words when it had sounded so much as if the goggle boy had been trying to convince himself as well as Wormmon that everything would be all right? 

~~~~ 

He could see the bottom of the lake. The realization frightened Ken as much as it fascinated him. He knew now that the barrier was reshaping itself as it pushed him ever lower. His bare feet--he had lost his shoes and socks by now--hovered inches from the lake bed, nearly touching. It would be easier, Ken supposed, to let himself lower to the bottom and sit. He could take a rest from all the swimming and regain his strength. 

All this he could do if he wasn't so terrified of what would happen if he touched the bottom. 

There was some survival instinct in him yet. All the conscious fight had long deserted him, and Ken was now left afloat by only his terror and his natural will to survive. Even these were being slowly worn away by the weakness and the silky poison the snake was whispering in his ears. He could feel it, permeating every pore of his being. Ken was so tired, so sick of fighting. He wanted peace, but he was afraid to ask for it. 

_Daisuke,_ he thought, and in his mind the word was half a sob; an elegy for a fallen hero and a relinquished dream. Ken had built all his resistance around that one name, and that one shining hope that had hovered before him: the hope that someone knew who he was, knew he was in danger, and would come to rescue him. 

No more. Ken knew that he wasn't going to be rescued. There was no escape, no future just as there was no past in his eyes. His hero had fallen off the pedestal and lay low in the muck, not quite forgotten but perhaps tarnished beyond repair. 

_And there it is,_ Ken thought. _Daisuke, whoever he is, has failed me. Perhaps I was just imagining him to begin with._

_I'm nothing. And nothing has no savior._

--- 

Eep again! Now I _know_ Dai-chan and co. have to save Ken soon, 'cause _I'm_ starting to feel bad for doing this stuff to him. I'm the author, I'm not supposed to feel bad about character torture, I'm supposed to revel in it! Ah well. He gets to hang on for one more chapter and then we'll make with the rescuing. Now, review! Please? Pretty please with cherries on top? Mmm...cherries...'scuse me, I suddenly feel the need for ice cream.


	6. Shard

**Mizu Kagami Part Six**

Disclaimer: Don't sit too close to the TV, you'll get seizures. 

Prerequisite yaoi warning: As the whole yaoi thing comes into play a lot in this chapter, I thought I'd repeat the warning. If you don't like two boys being in love with each other, please don't be tiresome and flame me. You've been warned three times now, so if you don't like yaoi there's a nice back button you can press and find many nice non-yaoi stories. If you flame me I'll have to feed the flames to my stuffed Gomamon Xellos, and I don't want him to get fat, it's unhealthy. 

Author's Notes: Damn, I wrote this one quick. This may well be the fastest I have ever updated. This part wasn't even in my original idea for the fic, but once I started writing it it just kinda flowed. So enjoy, cause this is probably going to be the only time I manage to update this quickly. 

----- 

Daisuke trudged dejectedly into his apartment, tossing off his shoes as he entered. Chibimon and Minomon were nestled comfortably in his backpack. Jun looked up from the couch as Daisuke headed into his room. 

"Geez, Daisuke, what happened?" she asked. "You look like you just lost your best friend." 

Daisuke made a strangled noise and slammed his door shut. Jun stared in confusion. 

"What'd I say?" 

Daisuke sighed and sunk down on his bed as he opened up his backpack. Chibimon darted out, with Minomon following at a much more sedate pace. Ken's Digimon was about as happy as Daisuke about leaving Ken trapped until the next day. 

"I hate this!" Daisuke punched his pillow, which didn't really make him feel much better. "Who knows what could be happening to Ken right now? I'm supposed to be his best friend, how can I just leave him there when I know he's in trouble?" 

"It's not your fault," Chibimon insisted. "Gennai said he can't open a gateway until tomorrow. There's nothing you can do about it." 

"He's right, Daisuke," Minomon said seriously. "It's not your fault. It's _mine._ I should have held on tighter." 

"It's not your fault, either!" Chibimon rounded on him. The blue Digimon sighed. "Why is it my job to keep you two from having a pity party?" 

Daisuke laughed and picked up his partner. 

"Sorry about that, little guy," he said. "I guess me and Minomon aren't being much fun today, are we?" 

"Nope," Chibimon said gravely. "I don't understand why you're so upset, though. Ken will be all right, won't he? He used to be the Kaiser, after all. I bet he can beat _anything._" 

"Wish I had your confidence," Daisuke replied. "But it's not that simple." 

Chibimon opened his mouth to say something when he was cut off by a shout from Jun. 

"Hey, Daisuke! Your friend Ken's here to see you!" 

"What?" Daisuke stood up, his expression darkening. 

"Are you going to talk to him?" Chibimon asked. 

"Hell yeah," Daisuke replied. "I'm gonna give Kagami a piece of my mind whether he wants me to or not." 

Daisuke exited the room and went to the door, where Jun was standing with Kagami. 

"Come on, 'Ken,'" Daisuke said roughly. "Let's go to my room. We need to talk." 

"Are you two having a fight or something?" Jun questioned. 

"Or something," Daisuke stated as he ushered Kagami into his room and closed the door. 

"Is something troubling you, Daisuke?" Kagami asked. His eyes alighted on the two Digimon on Daisuke's bed. "Ah, Minomon, there you are. I was coming over to see if Daisuke knew where you had gone." 

"He came with me," Daisuke said slowly, "because he didn't want to stay with you. Because you're not Ken." 

Daisuke had expected Kagami to deny the accusation, to accuse him of dreaming up some sort of lie. He was even prepared to be attacked. What he wasn't prepared for was Kagami's simple shrug, accompanied by a calm nod. 

"So....you admit that you're not Ken?" Daisuke ventured hesitantly, wondering if he had lost control of the situation already. 

"I wasn't," Kagami said in a matter-of-fact tone. "I am now." 

"_No,_" Daisuke said emphatically. "You're not. Not _my_ Ken." 

"But I am yours," Kagami replied. "Now, at this time, I am Ken. And, as I am Ken, I am and always will be yours. Ken Ichijouji belongs to you, Daisuke, didn't you know that?" 

"N-no, you've got it wrong," Daisuke sputtered, suddenly very confused. "You might look like Ken, but you aren't. I know who you are. You're...Kagami." 

"I was," Kagami replied, shrugging again. "But Kagami was nothing. Kagami had no memories, no body, no true name. But _now...._ now I have the memories of Ken Ichijouji. So that makes me Ken Ichijouji, does it not? And the being who once was I is now nothing, just as I was. We have....traded places. But you need not worry. I am Ken, and Ken is the one you care about, yes?" 

"You don't get it!" Daisuke tried again. "No matter what you look like and what you remember, you're _not_ Ken!" 

"Your agitation confuses me," Kagami said. "If I have Ken's form and memories, how can I not be Ken? I know all he knew. I am all he was. As such, I am him. The boy you think is Ken does not remember anything, so he is not anything. Is that not correct?" 

"No, that's not!" Daisuke stated. "How can you be so calm about this? Don't you remember who you used to be, what happened to you?" 

"I remember the Kaiser--" Kagami started to say, but Daisuke interrupted him. 

"Not what _Ken_ was!" he said. "What _Kagami_ was. Gennai told us. You used to be a Chosen Child, like us. Then someone else in that stupid lake sucked you in and took your form, and now you've done the same thing to Ken! Don't you feel bad at all?" 

"Why should I feel bad?" Kagami asked. "I was most lonely in the lake. The boy who was Ken spoke to me, told me of the wondrous world outside. He offered to be my friend, and was most helpful in allowing me to experience all the great things he experienced." 

"What?!" Daisuke was livid. "Ken tried to be your friend and still you--you--" He couldn't say it, he was so angry. 

"Have my actions upset you?" Kagami's calm voice only made Daisuke's anger rise. Suddenly, impulsively, his fist flashed out and hit Kagami in the face. Kagami fell back, touching his cheek in confusion. 

"You just don't get it!" Daisuke half-shouted. "Ken was trying to _help_ you! He was--he was being nice to you, you bastard, and _this_ is how you repaid him? And you don't even have the decency to feel guilty!" His eyes grew cold. "That's how I know you can't be Ken. Because the Ken that I know would never harm anyone who offered to be his friend. Not now, not after everything he's been through. The Ken I know is the kindest guy I know. I--I--" 

"You love me, do you not?" Kagami said with a slight smile. "I suspected, from these memories." 

"No!" Daisuke snapped. "I don't love you. I love Ken!" 

In a flash the implications of what he had said washed over him and Daisuke clapped a hand over his mouth, completely mortified and totally confused. 

"See?" In the silence, Chibimon's comment to Minomon rang out clear. "Told you so." 

"I--That's not what I meant--" Daisuke scrambled for an explanation. _It_ isn't _what I meant, is it? I can't be in love with Ken! He's my best friend, and another boy and--and-- _

And he haunts my dreams at night and he's always in my mind. I'm always thinking about him at the strangest times....I always feel happiest when he's near me, just because he's Ken.... 

Is it true, then? Do I--Could I be in love with my best friend? 

"So I was right." Kagami nodded to himself. "I found the word in my memories. Love. You know what love is, yes? I thought for a moment that it was the tight feeling in my chest, but I think different now. I read the word love in every one of these memories involving you, Daisuke. So I knew that you must feel this emotion for Ken." He smiled and ran a hand along Daisuke's cheek. "Did you know that Ken Ichijouji loves you too, Daisuke? I have a memory here, from not long ago, of Ken Ichijouji turning the thought over in his head. I feel something shining in my core when you look at me. I think that it is...love? Is that the correct emotion?" 

"I.....don't know." Daisuke turned away. 

"Why are you so upset?" Kagami wondered. "Does it not please you to know that I love you? That Ken Ichijouji has loved you for a very long time indeed?" 

There was another silence, then it was broken once more by the Digimon. Except this time it was Minomon saying "I told you so." 

"But...you can't love me," Daisuke stated. "You--you don't even know me." 

"I know all about you," Kagami said. "We jogressed together. We played soccer against each other. We--" 

"No, we didn't!" Daisuke said. He took a deep breath, trying to collect his scattered thoughts. "Listen. You said you remember when Ken and I jogressed. When our hearts beat together, in time..." 

"Yes. I recall that." Kagami smiled. "That was when the warm feeling started." 

"But it wasn't you." Daisuke touched his chest with one hand and Kagami's with the other. "I can feel your heart beating, but it's not Ken's heart. You might remember when our hearts beat in time, but you weren't there. You weren't the one who felt it. It was Ken's heart that beat with mine. Not yours. Ken's. And that's why you can't be Ken. I know it. Wormmon knows it. Heck, _this_ knows it." He reached down and took the black D-3 off Kagami's belt. "I bet that's why Wormmon couldn't evolve. It's like when we jogress. A copy of Ken can't make his Digimon evolve because Wormmon's attuned to _Ken_, not you. And Ken's the only whose heart can beat with mine." 

There was another long silence. Kagami looked from Daisuke to the black D-3, which was as unresponsive as if it had been broken. 

"I.....I don't understand," Kagami said finally. "I was certain that this body....that this heart would be mine if I had the form, the name, the memories. Yet what you say....Is it not enough? What must I do, then, to truly be Ken Ichijouji? Tell me and I shall do it. Then all will be well, yes? We will all be happy." 

"There's no way to _become_ Ken," Daisuke said. "You still don't get it, do you? No matter what you remember experiencing, you weren't there to feel it." 

"Do you remember when Osamu died?" Minomon spoke up unexpectedly. Daisuke and Kagami turned to look at him. "Well?" The Digimon prompted. 

"I do recall," Kagami replied. "And...it is very odd. Whenever I hear that name, I feel as though I have been wounded." 

"It's called grief," Minomon said in a low voice. "My Ken-chan never wants to lose anybody because his grief over his brother is still so great. And like Daisuke says, you didn't feel that grief. You can't ever understand how miserable Ken-chan was after that, how he felt when he came to me a few days later in tears--" Minomon's voice choked at the memory and he had to stop for a moment. "How can you be Ken if you don't even know what the feeling's called?" 

"I know now," Kagami said slowly. 

"But he had to tell you," Daisuke said. "That's what I've been trying to tell you. It's more than body and memories that make a person. I've known there was something wrong for a while, even though I didn't know what. Because Ken acts different. His personality isn't yours. He's got all sorts of feelings mixed up inside him. It makes him sad sometimes, I know, because I've seen him cry before and I've seen him be depressed. Even when he's smiling, I always feel like there's something behind that smile that's not right, like something's....I don't know, broken inside him, and it's gonna take a while to fix. I've been trying to fix it, and so has Minomon, and so have all our friends. You don't have that. You don't have Ken's kindness either, or that....that unsure feeling he always seems to have. You can't be Ken without feeling anything he felt." 

"But I _do_ feel those things," Kagami said. "I simply do not know the names. Certainly I can figure out the names in time." 

"It's not the same." Daisuke shook his head. "I'm starting to think that this is pointless. There's more to being a person than having their memories, and you just don't understand that. You haven't experienced anything. Ken has. It's what's made him himself, and you can't just clone something like that." 

"I....I do not understand this at all," Kagami said. "I was certain. I was certain that his memories could be my own." He shook his head. "I must think about what you have said. I _must_ be Ken. If I am not, then I am nothing once more. I shall not be nothing again." 

"Just because you're not Ken doesn't mean you're nothing," Chibimon spoke up. 

"But it does," Kagami said. His eyes never left Daisuke's face as he spoke. "Are you certain of this? That I am not Ken? That I never can be?" 

"You can call yourself whatever you want," Daisuke replied. "You'll never be Ken. Not the Ken that I lo--that I'm best friends with." Daisuke shifted nervously. He wasn't quite ready to face that other emotion Kagami had made him reveal. Not just yet, not while things were so confusing. "Tomorrow we're going to rescue Ken. And then everything's going to be like it was. Ken will be himself and you can just find yourself your own personality....one that's not stolen." 

"I must think about this," Kagami stated, and turned to go. He stopped in the doorway and turned to look at Daisuke again. "My D-3..." 

"It's not yours," Daisuke said, tightening his fist slightly over the device in his hand. "It's Ken's. And when we see him, I'm gonna give it to him." 

"He won't recall anything, you know," Kagami said, giving it one last try. "Of the two of us, only I have the memories of Ken Ichijouji." 

"It doesn't matter," Daisuke said grimly. "You're still just a cheap replacement." 

He slammed the door and sank down on his bed. He heard Jun let Kagami out and heard the door close. Daisuke stared at the D-3 in his hand and resumed hoping that there would be something left of Ken to return it to. 

~~~ 

So close, so close. The barrier had forced him down, he was nearly on the bottom. Ken could feel his fear seeping from him like the blood through his wounds. With that terror gone he was sinking. His body felt as heavy as his heart. 

_Is there no escape?_ he thought weakly. 

_No,_ came the reply from somewhere unknown. It echoed through the water and shook his frail body down to the bones. He was cold and tired, and all the fight and fear had gone. With the calm of one who believes that there can be nothing worse done to him than has already been done, Ken sank. 

His feet touched the bottom of the lake, and the world exploded around him. 

--- 

....The end. Of the chapter, anyway. Next up is the rescue of Ken, so the torture should end. 'Should' being the operative word. And one more thing *shameless plug* On the off chance any of you have a subscription to the website Otakuworld.com, check out my Daisuke desktop mascot. I'm rather happy with the way it turned out. *end shameless plug*


	7. Image

**Mizu-Kagami **

Disclaimer: Nothin's mine but Kagami and the creepy snake Guardian thing. 

Author's notes: I am so, so sorry it took so long to post this. First Fanfiction.net was acting up, then my hard drive crashed and I lost all my stuff. I had the next part of this story and Drokken Hunting (which I have been so horribly lax in posting) saved on disk, but no way to post them. Even now I don't have the Internet yet because they forgot to re-load my Ethernet software when they flushed my hard drive and I'm posting this on the computer at school. So sorry about the long wait, hope it was worth it. 

----- 

Daisuke paced in front of his D-terminal. Still no e-mail from Gennai, and he was getting more impatient and worried by the minute. 

"I'm sure it'll come soon," Chibimon said for the fifth time in an hour. "Gennai told you it might be hard to open the gate." 

"Not _this_ hard!" Daisuke sighed, trying to calm down. "What if we're too late?" 

"We won't be," Chibimon stated. 

"But what if we are?" Minomon asked, his voice trembling. 

"We _won't_ be," Chibimon repeated, looking annoyed. "Trust me. If we were, then the Digital World would be back to normal and Gennai would've e-mailed us saying that it's pointless to go to the dark world." 

Daisuke and Minomon both gave him stricken looks, and the blue in-training started to wish he had never spoken up. 

That was when the D-terminal beeped. Daisuke grabbed it and immediately started to read. After a moment, he turned to Chibimon and Minomon, smiling. 

"The gate's been opened. Gennai wants us to meet him in the Digital World and then we'll be off to save Ken." 

"Then let's go!" Minomon and Chibimon both leapt off the bed and crowded around Daisuke, who grabbed his backpack and stuffed them in. 

When he arrived in the computer lab, the others were already waiting for him. To his surprise, Yamato and Taichi were there as well. 

"Are you guys going too?" Daisuke asked the older Chosen Children curiously. 

"We're here to guard the gate while you're gone," Yamato explained. 

"Gennai explained it to me in my e-mail, hoping I could get Taichi to help," Hikari explained. "Apparently, the power used to open a gate to the dark world affected the Digiports as well. The ones most used, like this one, have been opened, too. So Taichi and Yamato agreed to guard the Digiport until we get back, so no one accidentally wanders in and gets sent to the Digital World on accident." 

"Wouldn't it be better if they came with us, though?" Daisuke questioned. "I mean, we'll need all the firepower we can get, right?" 

"That's what I said," Taichi grumbled. "But Gennai didn't think it would be a good idea." 

"Lots of things are going to realize that the dark gate's been opened," Yamato elaborated. "Gennai can keep most of those things out of the Digital World, but he can't keep them from realizing that you guys have entered the other world. And the more of us there are, the easier other creatures are going to be able to find us." 

"We don't have time to fight off every little thing in the dark world," Takeru put in. "So we have to go in the smallest group possible." 

"Then let's get going," Daisuke said. He and the others raised their D-3s and disappeared inside the computer. 

They met Gennai in the center of a large, fairly empty field. He was holding something shining in his hands, and hovering before him was a strange black dot, a small window to the dark world. 

"You'll have fifteen minutes," Gennai informed them. He gestured to the object in his hands. "This Digicore I received from Quinglongmon will supply the power to open the gate, but it has limited strength. If you aren't back after fifteen minutes, the gate will still close, and you'll all be trapped. Do you still want to do this?" 

"Do you need to ask?" Daisuke muttered impatiently. 

"We've already discussed it," Takeru added. "We know the risks, and we're willing to take them." He glanced at the others. "Does anybody have a watch on?" 

"I do," Iori spoke up. 

"Then you'd better keep an eye on the time," Miyako said, and Iori nodded. Gennai sighed. 

"All right, then. Remember, fifteen minutes from the time the gate opens fully. Good luck. You'll need it." The Digicore in his hands glowed, and the dark spot hovering before him widened until it was tall enough and wide enough to walk through. 

"Ready?" Daisuke turned to the group, who nodded. As one, they entered the world of darkness. 

Daisuke had never been in the dark world before. The first thing that struck him about it was how cold it was. In the distance he could hear waves crashing. Beside him, Hikari stumbled, one hand going to her head. 

"It's all right." Takeru moved in beside her, helping her. "It's not after you this time, remember? We all came in of our own free will this time." 

"I know," Hikari replied. "But...don't you feel it?" 

"Feel what?" Miyako asked. 

"The chill of death." Hikari shuddered. "This is a horrible place." 

"We aren't going to be here long," Daisuke promised. 

"Good," V-mon murmured. He was keeping close to Daisuke, and the other Digimon were similarly attached to their own partners. Wormmon was on Daisuke's other side. "I don't like it here, Daisuke. It feels...it feels..." 

"It feels like it hates us," Tailmon supplied, her voice grave. 

"Because it probably does," Iori said seriously. "After all, we don't like it when creatures from this world enter ours. Why would this world feel any different about us?" 

"Gee, thanks for filling me with confidence," Miyako grumbled. She wrapped her arms around herself and shivered. "Can we just find Ken and go?" 

"Anyone have any idea how to do that?" Takeru said. "We don't even know where Ken could be. This place is huge; we could be looking forever." 

"No," Daisuke said sharply. "We're only going to look for fifteen minutes, because after that we'll be stuck here forever." 

"Fourteen minutes," Iori spoke up. "We only have fourteen minutes now." 

"I think we should go this way," Wormmon said suddenly. 

"What makes you say that, Wormmon?" Hikari wondered. 

"I don't know. I just think he might be this way." Wormmon fidgeted nervously. 

"Well, I guess you'd know better than any of us," Daisuke said. "Lead the way, Wormmon." 

The Digimon led the group into a deep forest. The sound of the waves became more distant as they walked further into the thick foliage. Nonetheless, Daisuke shivered. There was something wrong here, too. 

"Do you see it?" Hikari said suddenly, her voice hushed. "That strange glow up ahead..." 

Daisuke swallowed the rising lump in his throat and strode forward beside Wormmon. Maybe this was a good sign, maybe they had found something at last. Still, he couldn't help but glance over his shoulder, as if fearing that some strange creature might be following them. 

"Something's there, all right," Takeru murmured. "But it doesn't feel like it's a good thing." 

Nobody replied, though they all felt the same. As a group, they stepped through the trees and into the clearing. 

Daisuke stared. Before them was a perfectly smooth lake. Not even wind rustled the surface, it was if it was made of glass. Daisuke knew at once that it had to be Mirror Lake. 

"Ken-chan!" Wormmon's torn cry forced Daisuke's eyes away from the water to the center of the lake. 

There, suspended in the air by a huge block of ice, was Ken. 

Ken's shirt was gone and his bare chest was scarred and bruised. The ice that held him suspended him at least four feet above the surface of the lake, and he was trapped completely from the shoulders down. Only his head and neck were free from the icy prison. Ken's head was thrown back, his hair wet and limp. His violet eyes were partially open, but they were dull and lifeless. For one terrible moment Daisuke thought that the other boy was dead, but then Ken's eyelids flickered and he blinked once, slowly, as if all his senses had been dulled. 

"Ken!" Daisuke echoed Wormmon's cry, and his voice seemed to wake Ken up a little. The pale boy's head raised, the movement painfully slow, and stared at Daisuke uncomprehendingly. 

_That....voice..._

"We have to get him out of there," Hikari said. 

"Right. I'd say this is a job for Fladramon." Daisuke turned to V-mon, who nodded. 

_"And_ Aquilamon," Miyako added. "Fladramon can melt the ice, and Aquilamon can keep Ken from falling right back into the water." 

"Okay then. Digimetal up!" 

"V-mon armor shinka....Fladramon, the fire of courage!" 

"Hawkmon shinka....Aquilamon!" 

"All right." Daisuke pointed to the ice block. "Melt the ice, but try not to hurt Ken." 

"I know what I'm doing," Fladramon told him. "I won't fry Ken. Are you ready to catch him, Aquilamon?" 

"We're ready." Miyako had climbed atop her Digimon. "I'll make sure Ken doesn't fall off." 

"Okay. Fire Rocket!" 

The flames shot towards the ice block, and it slowly began to melt. Ken watched the water drip from his prison with a strange detached kind of fascination, as if it were not he trapped inside. Fladramon shot more fire at the ice and more of it began to melt, exposing Ken's chest and freeing his arms. Miyako and Aquilamon flew in close and Miyako grabbed ahold of one of Ken's arms. She winced as her hands took hold of him; his skin was cold to the touch. Ken glanced up at her sluggishly, still fairly unresponsive. Soon Ken was free up to his waist, then at last his legs were freed and he dangled by one arm from Aquilamon's back. 

"Don't drop him," Daisuke said quietly, hoping that Miyako wouldn't. If Ken fell back into the lake, it would be difficult to free him again. 

"Thirteen minutes," Iori's voice answered him in a grave tone. 

Ken swayed in Miyako's grip, but she pulled back and managed to drag him onto Aquilamon's back. Daisuke heaved a sigh of relief, though he knew they weren't out of the woods yet. As Aquilamon flew back towards them, Daisuke could see that Ken's eyes had not lost their dulled look, and his skin was so pale it was almost white. 

"Ken!" As Aquilamon landed, Daisuke and the others gathered around. Miyako lowered Ken to the ground, but it seemed that his legs wouldn't hold him and he fell to the ground like a rag doll. 

"Ken-chan?" Wormmon approached his partner fearfully, his joy at seeing Ken subdued by the state his friend was in. "Are you all right? Ken-chan?" 

Ken raised his head and looked long and hard at Wormmon, seemingly lost in thought. At last he spoke, though the others couldn't help but wince at how raw and hoarse his voice sounded, 

"Who...." Ken's voice gave out. He swallowed hard and tried again. "Who are you?" 

There was a very long pause before Wormmon at last spoke. He sounded as if his heart had just been broken. 

"You...don't know me?" 

"No." Ken shook his head. "Do you know me? Could you tell me who I am? _What_ I am? Or....or am I really nothing?" 

"Wait a sec. You don't know who you are?" Daisuke knelt by Ken's side. At the sound of Daisuke's voice, the other boy shivered. 

"You..." Ken closed his eyes. "Do I know you? I think I might. You....and the little creature, too. You both seem familiar somehow....but I can't remember..." 

"Gennai said Kagami took Ken's memories," Hikari said softly. "That must be why Ken doesn't know us. Kagami literally stole his memories." 

"Then we have to get them back!" Daisuke said. "We can't just leave Ken like this." 

"It might not be that easy," Takeru said. "What if Kagami isn't willing to give those memories up easily?" 

"Then we _make_ him," Daisuke replied. 

"You're so stubborn, Daisuke," Miyako said with a slight smile. 

Ken, meanwhile, was watching them, holding Wormmon close to him like a favorite stuffed toy. The boy had been listening to the exchange curiously, like a young child watching his parents fight over bills. When he heard Miyako speak Daisuke's name, however, his eyes widened. 

"Daisuke?" he whispered, his numbness suddenly fading away. So Daisuke _had_ come for him! How could he have doubted such a thing? 

"Ano....Ken?" Daisuke was suddenly very aware of the intent look he was getting from Ken. In the other boy's eyes shone pure and absolute worship. 

"You came for me..." Ken said in a hushed, reverent tone. "You're Daisuke. The one I remember. I thought you forgot me, or I made you up, but....you came. You came for me. Then I'm not nothing, right? I'm not." 

"Why do you think you're nothing?" Takeru spoke up. Ken immediately shrank backwards, shivering and holding Wormmon tighter. His wide eyes fixed on Daisuke as he hoarsely replied, 

_"He_ told me. He told me all sorts of things....those I can remember, every one of them..._He_ told me them all." Ken suddenly moved closer to Daisuke, seeking comfort. "But now you're here, right Daisuke? You came to save me. You'll protect me, won't you?" 

"We'll all protect you," Daisuke assured him hastily, blushing a little. "No ones going to hurt you, Ken, I promise." 

"K-Ken?" the other boy repeated. "Is....is that me? Is that what I'm called?" 

"Yeah. That's your name. Ken." Daisuke turned even redder as Ken pushed up close to him, practically in his lap. 

_Calm down, idiot_, the goggle boy told himself sternly. _Ken doesn't remember anything, and he's just cuddling--is that the right word?--cuddling up to me for protection. Like a little kid. He's just frightened, that's all. Calm down and for heaven's sake, stop blushing_! 

"Eleven minutes." Iori's voice snapped him out of his thoughts. The younger boy was looking at him intently. "If we're going to fight the Guardian, we should probably start soon. Time's passing." 

"Who?" Ken looked up at Daisuke for clarification. 

"The Guardian," Daisuke replied. "He kinda runs the lake, but Gennai didn't tell us what he looked like or any...thing..." Daisuke stared as Ken stumbled back, his skin going deathly white. 

_"Him," _the boy whimpered. "You're going to fight _him._" 

"Uh....I guess," Daisuke replied. 

"You mustn't, you mustn't!" Ken shook his head frantically, his grip on Wormmon tightening so much that the Digimon was starting to have trouble breathing. "He'll kill you, I know it. He--he's _horrible."_ Ken's eyes were full of fear. "I've seen him. I know him. He--he can't be defeated, I tried, but he kept telling me that I was nothing and nothing couldn't be saved and--and he told me you didn't exist. I didn't believe him for a long while, but then you never came and I thought he was right and--he's just _horrible."_

"That's why we're going to fight him," Daisuke said. 

"But he might hurt you....and then I'll have to go back." Ken looked up pleadingly at the others. "Don't fight him. None of you. I don't want to go back there, and if you all get killed he'll make me. No one will save me. I'll be nothing again. I'm not nothing! I am not nothing!" He was beginning to get frantic, and not even Wormmon could calm him down. Daisuke put a hand on Ken's shoulder and the boy jumped, falling backwards. 

"No one's going to die," Daisuke said softly. 

"I'm nothing," Ken sobbed quietly, letting his grip go slack. Wormmon tumbled to the ground and glanced up worriedly. "I knew it, I _knew_ it. I'm nothing, and you're nothing, and you'll die and I'll be here forever, _forever,_ nothing and cold and empty and _nothing..."_

"Stop it!" Daisuke glanced helplessly at the others. He didn't know what to do, what to say. "Ken...." 

_"That is correct. You_ are_ nothing."_

Daisuke and the others whirled at the sound of the unknown voice, but Ken only let loose with a piteous whimpering noise and shrank against a tree, trying to make himself as small as possible. 

The surface of the lake rippled once as a giant funnel of water appeared. The funnel wound upwards and then began to solidify into a more recognizable form, that of a giant snake with cerulean eyes. The Guardian stared down at the Chosen Children, its normally calm expression twisted into one of distaste. Its tongue flicked out once, briefly, and its eyes were glittering in displeasure. 

"Who...." it hissed, its voice sounding rough and guttural in the harsh air, having lost its smooth poisonous tone outside of its watery den. "Who are you, who dare to take my prey from me?" 

"Ken isn't yours!" Daisuke proclaimed. "We're not letting you have him." 

"But he _is_ mine, " the snake rumbled. It fixed its eyes on Ken, who whimpered and looked away. "Is that not right, little one? You are mine. You are nothing." 

"That's right," Ken sobbed, still not looking up. Wormmon rested his legs on Ken's knee, but still the boy kept his face averted. "I'm nothing. Nothing at all..." 

"Don't listen to him!" Daisuke snapped. The snake hissed in annoyance. 

"Give him back to me or I will kill you all and take him back. He has surrendered. He is _mine."_

"We're not going to do that!" Daisuke said. He turned to the others. "You guys ready?" 

"Right." Miyako nodded, then turned her gaze to the Guardian. "We're not going to let you hurt anyone again!" She glanced at Hikari who nodded and raised her D-3. Tailmon and Aquilamon smiled at each other and prepared. 

"Tailmon!" 

"Aquilamon!" 

"Jogress shinka....Silphymon!" 

The Guardian barely spared a glance at the Digimon standing before it. Its eyes were fixated on Ken. 

"Our turn!" Armadimon proclaimed, and Patamon nodded. 

"Armadimon shinka...Anklyomon!" 

"Patamon shinka...Angemon!" 

"Anklyomon!" 

"Angemon!" 

"Jogress shinka....Shakkoumon!" 

"Now for us," Daisuke stated as Fladramon de-evolved to V-mon. 

"V-mon shinka...XV-mon!" 

"Ken!" Daisuke pulled the black D-3 off his belt and tossed it to Ken. It hit the ground in front of the other boy, who barely even glanced at it. "Come on, Ken! We need Imperialdramon if we're going to beat this thing!" 

"Beat _me?"_ the Guardian laughed. "You think you can defeat _me?"_ Its head darted forward and crystals of ice shot from its mouth. Shakkoumon stepped protectively in front of the children, and the ice cracked harmlessly against his metal frame. 

"Is that the best you can do?" XV-mon scoffed, flying towards the Guardian. "X-laser!" 

The beam flew at the Guardian, tearing its body in half. Almost immediately the water swirled up and the Guardian re-formed, completely unharmed. 

"I have more tricks than this to get that which is mine!" it proclaimed, and opened its mouth again. A chill mist burst from its throat, descending on the group. The air was suddenly cold and hazy. Daisuke found that he could barely see anything, and he was freezing cold. He could hear the voices of his companions, trying to see in the sudden haze, and, mingled with the questioning voices, Ken's ragged one muttering over and over, 

"I'm nothing, I'm nothing, I'm _nothing...."_

"We need to clear this mist away!" Takeru's voice cut through the haze. "Shakkoumon, is there anything you can do about this?" 

"I'm trying," was the reply. "But this sort of thing is hard to vacuum up." 

"It won't blow away, either," XV-mon added. "I'm flapping my wings, but it's not enough." 

"Imperialdramon could probably take care of it," Miyako said. 

"Right!" Daisuke followed the sound of Ken's voice through the mist. He nearly tripped over Wormmon as Ken came into view. 

"He won't listen to me," Wormmon reported. "I've been trying, but--" 

"Ken!" Daisuke took Ken by the shoulders and shook him. "Ken, snap out of it! We need your help. You have to make Wormmon evolve." As Daisuke spoke, Wormmon picked up the black D-3 and brought it over. 

"I'm nothing," Ken whimpered, ignoring them. "I'm nothing!" 

"Ken!" A moment after Daisuke cried out, a beam of ice shot through the mist above their heads, nearly hitting them both. Daisuke whirled, and he could almost see the Guardian readying for another attack through the gloom. "Ken, stop it! You're _not_ nothing. You're my friend, and I'm going to save you or die trying. But you have to help me. We can't do this without you." 

"There's nothing I can do," Ken said. "I'm worthless. Completely worthless." 

"You _aren't!"_ Daisuke shook him again. "Damn it, Ken, get a grip! You can do this." 

"But I don't know how." Ken stared at his D-3 as if it was a foreign object. "I don't remember. I don't know what that is, what all these--these creatures are, I don't even know who _I_ am! All I remember is a name, _your_ name. I thought you would save me, but you never came. And now that you're here, it's too late. And--and now we'll all die." 

"We _will not_ die!" Daisuke half-shouted, his own voice strained. "We'll get through this. Together. You have to think, you have to remember how to--" 

"Daisuke, look out!" XV-mon's voice cut him off. Daisuke looked up just in time to see a volley of ice spears cut through the air, heading straight towards him and Ken. Daisuke's eyes widened, but he knew there was no way he and Ken would get out of the way in time.... 

Suddenly, a funnel of water hit the ice spears, knocking them to the ground. The chill mist dissipated, and a sole figure was revealed, standing near the trees with one hand still outstretched. 

Kagami had arrived. 

--- 

Well, isn't that a nice spot to end the chapter in? The next part will be up who-knows-when, since it's only half-written and it may be a while before I get the Internet. But rest assured, it will be up eventually.


	8. Light

** Mizu-Kagami Part Eight**

Disclaimer: No one's mine but Kagami and mr. Snake Guy. 

Prerequisite yaoi warning: Duh! Guys in love. If you don't like it, stop reading now. Oh, and Cathaeris, sweetie? Yes, I am sick. I'm contagious too, so why don't you come closer and I'll sneeze on you. 

Author's Notes: Sniff...almost done. All that's left is the epilogue and this fic is done. It's so sad....it's like seeing your baby go off to school. Err..okay, maybe not. But it's still sad. I'll miss this fic...now I need to think of something else to write. Oh well. Read, review, etc. 

----- 

Daisuke stared, his mind reeling. Kagami had come. Kagami had saved him, him and Ken. But _why_ had he come? And how had he arrived without Ken's D-3 to open the gate? 

_Duh, stupid!_ Daisuke mentally berated himself. _The Digiports were opened when Gennai opened the Dark Gate. Ken used the one in his room a lot, especially when he was the Kaiser. So the gate in his computer must've been opened too. And _I _told him we were going after the Guardian!_

_So there's the question : is he here to help us fight......or to make sure that Ken stays trapped in the lake?_

"So my other lost lamb has come home," hissed the Guardian. Its eyes focused on Kagami and then traveled over to the shivering form of Ken. "Both my children are here now. Perhaps I shall have a very long meal, indeed." 

"I...." Kagami paused, then looked over at Daisuke. "I have come to help you, Daisuke. If I do this thing, then I will have an experience of my own, yes? Then I will not be nothing. I will make my own form and my own name. My memories shall be my own. You will have your Ken back and I will be free. Will we all be happy then?" 

"Hopefully," Daisuke said, glancing back at the Guardian, who was watching them with interest, its fangs exposed. 

"Fools, all of you," it said. "No one will leave this lake alive. This is _my_ domain you play in now, and I am an entity far beyond your ability to defeat." With that proclamation, it shot another beam of ice from its mouth. The beam hit Silphymon, and the Digimon slammed hard into the dirt. 

"Silphymon!" Hikari rushed to the Digimon's side, while Miyako glanced helplessly back at Ken and Daisuke. 

"We can't do this by ourselves!" she said. "We need Imperialdramon! What's taking you two so long?" 

"I'm working on it!" Daisuke shouted back. 

"Seven minutes," Iori reminded him darkly, glancing at his watch. 

"I said, I'm working on it!" Daisuke snapped at Iori. Then he turned his attention to Ken. "Come on, Ken, _remember._ You've got to." 

"There's nothing to remember," Ken said morosely. "I don't have any memories. I'm--" 

"_Not_ nothing!" Daisuke cut him off. "You're my friend and my partner. Our hearts beat together when we jogressed, remember? Remember how there was that light, and how we were connected? You said you remembered my name. Do you remember my heartbeat?" 

"I-I-" Ken shook his head. "I don't. I feel like I _should…._but I don't. I don't remember any of this. Only….only you." 

"That's not enough. We can't win without your help. If you don't at least try to remember, then we'll all be dead." Daisuke forced Ken to look him in the face. "You have to think. You-you like me, right Ken? Do you remember that?" 

"I…." Ken closed his eyes, and the words came out before he could stop to wonder where they had come from. "I _love_ you." 

There was a silence, then Ken gasped softly and put a hand to his mouth. 

"If you love me, then you'll help me," Daisuke said gravely, putting his hand over the D-3 still sitting in Ken's palm. "If you can make Wormmon evolve, it'll make keep the Guardian from killing me. You want to protect me, don't you?" 

"I-I do." Ken looked curiously up at Daisuke. "How did you know?" 

"Because I love you too," Daisuke said simply. "And because I love you, I want to protect you more than anything." 

"Then…..then I will protect you." Ken's face became determined. "Without my memories, you're the only thing I have. And I will protect you!" As he spoke, the D-3 started to glow. 

"Wormmon shinka….Stingmon!" 

"Yes!" Daisuke jumped to his feet as Stingmon flew towards the battle. "I knew you could do it, Ken, I knew it! Now we just need to jogress and-" 

"Jogress?" Ken spoke the word as if hearing it for the first time. "What's that?" 

Daisuke's face fell. _Should've known it wouldn't be that easy…_

"It's another type of Digimon evolution," Daisuke explained desperately. "We need to work together, 'kay? You and me. We need to make our Digimon evolve together." 

"How?" Ken asked. "I-I don't understand. How can _we_ make them evolve together?" 

"We have to want the same thing," Daisuke told him. "Then our hearts will beat together, just like I told you." 

Ken looked up at him through the mists of confusion, his eyes wide and trusting. Daisuke squirmed a little under his gaze. 

"Then....what is it we want?" Ken questioned. 

"We want to defeat the stupid Guardian!" Daisuke glanced back worriedly. Even with the addition of Stingmon, the others weren't doing well. "You want that, too, don't you? Once we defeat him, you'll be safe. He'll never harm you again." 

"Never..." Ken repeated thoughtfully. He suddenly froze as the Guardian swung its head around and looked him straight in the eye. "I--I--" 

"You will not escape me," the snake hissed. "Do not delude yourself, my little one. I will kill your friends and your precious Daisuke, and then there will be nothing left but you and I." 

"Shut up, you big dork!" Daisuke turned to yell at the Guardian. The snake's eyes narrowed and it opened its mouth. Before anyone could react, a bolt of light shot from its mouth and hit Daisuke square in the chest. 

_"Daisuke!!"_ Ken cried, shocked at the sorrow and outrage in his own voice. Daisuke was thrown into the tree and slid to the ground beside him. Kagami, who had been standing at the edge of the lake, froze and stared as Ken leaned over his fallen friend. 

"D-Daisuke?" Ken ventured timidly, an unspoken terror in his voice. Daisuke forced one eye open and managed a weak smile. 

"I-I'm okay," he said softly. "I promised that no one would die, and I wouldn't lie to you...." His eyes closed as he fell unconscious. 

Ken's fists clenched as tears came to his eyes. This was wrong, this wasn't the way it was supposed to go. He had promised to protect Daisuke, hadn't he? And Daisuke had been hurt. 

"I won't let it happen again," Ken said quietly. He stood, turning defiant, red-rimmed eyes on the Guardian hovering in front of him. "Do you hear me? I won't let you hurt them anymore!" 

Stingmon and XV-mon began to glow. Ken suddenly heard a new sound in his ears. The sound of a steady, comforting heartbeat. 

"XV-mon!" 

"Stingmon!" 

"Jogress shinka....Paildramon!" 

"What....?" Ken stared at the single Digimon that had suddenly appeared. He recalled Daisuke's earlier words to him. 

_Then that heartbeat I heard.... _he thought, filled with a strange type of wonder. _That was _his_ heartbeat I felt. We were connected, just like he promised. I heard his heartbeat pounding in my ears like it was my own....a sound only I could hear..._

A groan from behind him turned Ken's attention away from his own thoughts and the battle. He turned and knelt back by Daisuke's side. There was the sound of movement and another figure knelt on Daisuke's other side. Kagami stared back at Ken out of hauntingly familiar eyes. 

"I...." Ken felt that he should say something, but he didn't know what. There was something about the creature before him that stirred memories in him. Confused and unsure, Ken lowered his head and felt a hot streak run across his face. 

"Is he yours?" Kagami questioned. 

"I....I don't know," Ken admitted. "I want him to be. I love him. And he said he loved me. He promised he'd save me. He...." 

"I know how you feel," Kagami said calmly. His eyes met Ken's, a twin gaze. It was like two sides of a mirror looking out at each other. "But I did not know the name until you showed it to me, with your memories. " 

"But--but I don't have any memories," Ken said. 

"You did." Kagami lowered his head and looked at Daisuke's peaceful face. "He slapped me, you know. He was very angry, but I did not understand why. It made no sense. I was the one he loved, was I not? I was Ken Ichijouji. I had the name and the memories. But I did not have him." He looked back at Ken. "Is that it, then? Is that love what makes you real and me only a shadow?" 

"I wouldn't know at all," Ken said nervously. He didn't understand what Kagami was talking about and he felt very small and stupid. 

"Ah. Of course, I had nearly forgotten. That was what made him so angry, after all." Kagami smiled softly down at Daisuke. "I wonder, too. I wonder if what I feel is something that is real or if that, too, is only something fabricated. Because I have your memories, you see, so I feel all that you felt, just in my own way. So then, are these feelings yours or mine?" 

"If--if you felt them," Ken ventured, "then aren't they yours? I feel things too, and I'm noth--" He stopped and shook his head. "I feel things, but I can't remember the names, if I ever knew them. And.....none of them were nice feelings until I saw him again. It was just....pain. Everything hurt. But now it doesn't, and I feel something else. It's love, I know it is, but I don't know where I got the name from." He flushed in sudden embarrassment, not quite sure what to say. "But.....they're my feelings, no matter what. Your feelings are your own always, aren't they? Memories can leave like mine did, but don't emotions stay no matter what? Or...." Ken closed his eyes. "I don't know. I don't know anything because I don't _remember..."_

"I remember," Kagami said. "And it only makes me think more. What you said... then do you think I have emotions such as yours? Could I feel these things I have heard spoken of so much? This love....and with it grief, and happiness, sadness and fear... it seems wrong. Nothing cannot have emotions, so I cannot be nothing if I feel. But Daisuke says that I am not Ken because I do not feel the right things. What would that make me, then?" 

"Wouldn't it just make you....you?" Ken said simply, still uncomprehending. "D- do you have a name of your own?" 

"Some have called me Kagami." 

"Then isn't that who you are?" 

There was a long pause. Then Kagami spoke again. 

"I suppose it would be." 

"Ungh...." Another groan from Daisuke attracted their attention. The two leaned over him worriedly as Daisuke's eyes opened. He looked first at Kagami, then his gaze traveled to Ken and he smiled. 

"Told you...I was fine," he said. Slowly Daisuke raised himself into a sitting position. He winced. "Damn, that hurt." 

"Are you all right?" Ken asked a little timidly. 

"You are not broken, Daisuke?" Kagami questioned. 

"I'm fine. Just a little sore." Daisuke looked at Kagami and then at Ken. "This is really creepy." 

"Daisuke!" Hikari, Takeru, Miyako and Iori came running over to them. 

"It's not working," Takeru said. "Even with the combined power of Silphymon, Shakkoumon and Paildramon, we still haven't made a scratch on the Guardian." 

"Do you think Imperialdramon could help?" Daisuke mused. 

"It doesn't matter," Miyako said. "Every time an attack hits the Guardian he just re-forms. Nothing we do is even touching him." 

"And we only have five more minutes," Iori added. "Is that enough time to show Ken how to help Paildramon evolve?" He shook his head. "We just don't have enough time left." 

"Then what do you want to do?!" Daisuke exploded. "Retreat? If we just go back home, you know what it'll mean. Someone else will be sucked up by the Guardian. What if he gets hold of Ken again? Or of one of our Digimon? Then we're right back where we started." 

"Daisuke, we've lost," Miyako said darkly. "The Guardian's taken everything we've thrown at him and it hasn't even slowed him down." 

"But if we go...." Daisuke shook his head. "And there's no way we can just throw Ken back in the lake or anything." 

The point of their conversation suddenly dawned on Ken and he backed away, looking absolutely terrified. 

"We're not going to do that," Hikari assured him. She looked back at Daisuke. "We don't want to retreat any more than you do, Daisuke. But we don't have a choice." 

"You cannot retreat?" Kagami questioned. "Why? What holds you here?" 

"If we go and leave the Guardian here, alive, then someone else will be dragged into the lake," Daisuke said gravely. "Gennai said there has to be someone in the lake for the Guardian to prey on or the balance will be all out of whack. If we take Ken, someone else, either human or Digimon, has to take his place." 

"But--that's awful," Ken said raggedly. "We can't run away and leave someone here! It....it hurts so much, being trapped in there..." His haunted eyes traveled over to the surface of the water and he began to tremble. "I couldn't stand it, leaving someone in there to suffer like that. It's worse than death." 

"There's no choice," Takeru said. "I'm sorry, Ken. Maybe we can get back here another time and finish what we started." 

"That will not be necessary." Kagami spoke up unexpectedly and everyone stared uncomprehendingly at him. He glanced down at Daisuke. "You are sure of this? That one innocent will suffer if the Guardian's hunger is not sated?" 

"Well...yeah. I guess." 

"And this angers you?" 

"Of course," Daisuke said. "I don't want anyone to suffer. I wouldn't be a very nice person if I did." 

"I see." Kagami turned to Ken. "But you suffered this, did you not? Because of me. I caused all this." 

"You did?" Ken asked. "W-wasn't it me? Wasn't it my fault for being rescued and not staying where I belong?" 

"You did not belong there. _You_ are not nothing." Kagami reached forward and cradled Ken's head in his hands. "I am.....sorry. Something has changed. I believe that I am...grieving? Something has been broken. I must repair it. And so I shall." He leaned over and pressed his lips to Ken's forehead. 

Pain exploded in Ken's head as pictures and feelings rushed through him, seeping inside. He cried out and fell backwards, pressing his hands up to the sides of his head as the tide of memories rushed through him. 

"Ken!" Daisuke looked first at his friend, then at Kagami. "What did you do?" 

Kagami smiled sadly. His complexion had gone to an unhealthy grayish color and his eyes had changed from violet to dark blue. Daisuke had the strange notion that Kagami suddenly looked much less...._real_ than before. 

"I have only returned that which I took." Kagami stood, then turned to face the Guardian. 

"....Wait." At the weak voice behind him, Kagami turned. Ken sat with his back against the tree, his face pale and drawn, shivering slightly from the cold and exertion. "You don't have to do this." 

Kagami shook his head. 

"It is the only way. I have caused all this pain. I did not realize..." He sighed. "You have given me a great gift, Ken Ichijouji. For a brief time, I was not nothing. This is truly something to be treasured. I hope you will accept my apology and grant me your forgiveness. I am the cause of your pain and distress, and I believe I must have a.... conscience? Is that the word? The memory is very distant now..." 

Daisuke glanced back at Ken, whose thoughtful gaze was locked with Kagami's. 

_He can't forgive him, can he?_ Daisuke wondered. _Ken nearly died. The way he was acting, it must've been Hell in that lake. How could he forgive Kagami for trapping him there? Then again... _a small voice in the back of his mind whispered, _who knows the value of forgiveness better than Ken?_

"Of course," Ken said, nodding his head weakly. "My offer still stands. I--I'll be your friend still, if you want." He looked back towards the Guardian, who was watching them impassively as the Digimon uselessly continued their attacks. "I know how it feels now. What it feels like to be cut off from everything and to be empty....and nothing..." He shuddered, his frail body shaking like a candle flame in the wind. "I never want to feel that again. I'd die first." 

"I thank you." Kagami's gaze flickered briefly over to Daisuke. "I see now. I understand what you said. I was never Ken Ichijouji. I must make my own memories." He put a hand to his heart. "This experience is my own. I will keep it here, and carry it forever." 

Then Kagami turned and walked to the lake edge, where he bowed before the Guardian. 

"My master." 

"Yes." The Guardian smiled. The Digimon, at a wave from their partners, de-evolved and joined the children by the tree. "Come to me." 

"I am yours." Kagami turned and looked back at Ken and Daisuke, who were watching him wide-eyed. "Perhaps...perhaps someday, Daisuke, I too will find one whose heart can beat with mine." 

Then the Guardian wrapped around him, gently, leading him into the water. As Kagami walked deeper into the lake, his body slowly started to lose its shape, until at last he was nothing more than a shimmering, unidentifiable liquid form. The Guardian opened its mouth and dived in upon the shape, and both disappeared under the surface. 

Then the lake was still. For a long moment, no one spoke. Finally, Iori found his voice. 

"....Two minutes." 

"Right." Daisuke nodded and started to get to his feet. He glanced over at the still-shaking Ken and impulsively pulled off his flame-marked coat, wrapping it about the pale boy's shoulders. Daisuke helped Ken up and turned to his companions. "Let's get out of here." 

The entire group rose, quiet and subdued. Mirror Lake was deceptively calm; it suddenly looked like a normal, harmless body of water. It made Ken want to throw up. 

Daisuke led the group away at a fast pace, not wanting to stay any longer than necessary. He had one arm wrapped around Ken's waist to support him; Ken was still trembling violently and holding Wormmon in an iron-tight grip. 

Ken was still unsure on his feet, and he was feeling very tired, as the events of the last few days started to catch up with him. Wormmon was a warm and comforting presence, and the sight of the others nearby helped ease the chill that still hung around him. 

_They_ all_ came, _he thought, wearily laying his head on Daisuke's shoulder, his eyes half-closed. _Daisuke was the only one I remembered, the only one I was waiting for, but they all came. They all cared enough to come rescue me._ He held Wormmon closer, feeling the numbness start to fade from his skin. 

"There it is," Hikari said, and Ken forced his eyes open. Hovering before them was a strange hole in space, through which he could see the comforting colors of the Digital World. The edges of the hole were blurry and indistinct, and it made Ken's eyes hurt to look at them. 

"Just a little farther, Ken," Daisuke said comfortingly, tightening his grip around Ken's waist. Ken looked up weakly into Daisuke's face and managed a smile. Daisuke led him through the hole and suddenly he was outside where it was warmer and more familiar. 

When the last of the group had returned to the Digital World, Gennai dropped the Digicore. It had shrunk to almost nothing, and Gennai's face was covered with sweat. 

"You cut that very close," Gennai told them. "But at least you all made it out." 

"Yeah," Miyako said in a subdued voice. "All of us." 

"We should probably take Ken home now," Daisuke decided. "How's that sound, Ken?" 

There was no answer. He glanced over at his friend, only to see that Ken had fallen fast asleep, his head still resting on Daisuke's shoulder. 

"Yeah," Daisuke answered himself, smiling fondly at Ken. "I guess that sounds fine." 

---- 

And there you have it. Just the epilogue to go, and I'll try to get that posted soon since it'll be pretty short compared to the other chapters.


	9. Epilouge

**Mizu-Kagami : Epilouge**

Disclaimer: Take a wild guess. 

Author's Note: Okay, it took a little longer than expected. It's FFN's fault, not mine! Really! Anyway, here's the promised epilouge. ::Sniffle:: I'm gonna miss this fic. Huge thanks to everyone who reviewed...this seriously would not have gotten completed if it hadn't been for all the kind reviews (when I started this I figured it would be only about 10, 15 pages. Then it mutated on me. -_-;;) Anyhoo, enjoy! 

---- 

Daisuke sighed and leaned against a tree, looking sideways at Ken, who was leaning against the trunk a little further around. The rest of the Digidestined were spread out across the field, resting on the grass or eating. They had gone to the Digital World for a picnic to celebrate Ken finally being allowed out. 

After they had returned to the real world following the battle with the Guardian, Daisuke and the others had been faced with the task of thinking up a proper excuse to give Ken's parents for their son's condition. After all, as far the Ichijoujis knew, their son had been perfectly fine for the past few days. The group had half-carried the exhausted and still-sleeping Ken home, where Daisuke had fabricated a long and complicated tale involving Ken being beat up by a gang of bullies and saved by Daisuke himself, who showed off his own bruises as proof. Ken had been fussed over and eventually taken to the doctor, where he was bandaged up but informed that he was suffering from a case of exhaustion and slight malnutrition, something which had confused his parents. Daisuke had wondered about the malnutrition part until Iori had pointed out that there probably wasn't much to eat in the lake, and Ken had, after all, been trapped there for several days. 

On the orders of his parents and the demands of his own abused body, Ken had been shut up in his room for the better part of the week, sleeping off the effects of his stay in Mirror Lake. Daisuke and the others had gone to visit several times, but it had taken a lot of reassuring by Ken to get his parents to let him go to Odaiba to see the others. When he succeeded in getting permission Daisuke had decided that a celebratory picnic was in order. The Digimon had heartily agreed. 

Ken's face had a far away look to it, as if he was deep in thought. Daisuke could see the faint outlines of bruises on his neck, and he knew that Ken's chest was still covered with slowly-healing cuts. Wormmon was sitting contentedly in Ken's lap, his head resting on his partner's knee. 

"Hey, Ken?" Daisuke spoke up. Ken didn't even seem to hear him. "Ken?" 

"Hmm?" Ken turned distracted eyes on his friend. "Was there something you wanted, Daisuke?" 

"I was just wondering....are you okay? You looked...." Daisuke trailed off, not quite sure exactly why the look on Ken's face had made him speak up. Wormmon looked from his partner to Daisuke, then got up and went to help V-mon finish off the last of the sandwiches. 

"I'm fine," Ken said, but the tone of his voice implied that he didn't really mean it. 

"Was it.....was it really that bad?" Daisuke dared ask the question he had been wondering about for days. Well, one of the questions. 

Ken was silent for a very long time, his eyes lowered. Finally he spoke, and his voice was rough with remembered pain. 

"I can't describe it," he said. "I was so alone, so horribly alone. It was as if I had just been born and given to a torturer the moment I entered the world, with nothing in my memories but pain and fear and despair. I remembered you, but then I thought you weren't going to come for me. I thought that maybe I made you up, or worse, that you didn't care enough to come. I never felt so alone before, not even when I was the Kaiser. It seemed like all I knew was dread and hopelessness, and nothing more. There was no such thing as friendship, or courage....or kindness." He looked up, his eyes meeting Daisuke's. "And then you rescued me." 

"I-I would've been there sooner," Daisuke said feebly. "I wanted to go after you so badly when Gennai told us what happened. But--" 

"I know," Ken cut him off. "Wormmon told me how upset you were." His gaze lowered to his hands, and he began to rub his arms nervously, as if there was something more he wanted to say but was afraid to do so. 

"So....is that how Kagami's feeling now?" Daisuke wondered. "All that bad stuff, I mean?" He shook his head. "We shouldn't have left him. I mean, yeah he was a jerk to pull you in like that, but--" 

"He didn't know," Ken said. "I don't think he had any idea what would happen to me in there. He was just lonely, that's all. I don't blame him for that. How could I? I was lonely once, too, and look what I did because of it. I'm the last one who should place blame." 

"I guess," Daisuke replied. He noticed that Ken was suddenly looking very nervous. The pale boy opened his mouth to say something, then shut it and looked away. "Ken? Is there something else?" 

"No," Ken said, too quickly. 

"Ken, I know when you're lying." Daisuke assumed his best stern face. "You're hiding something again." 

"No I'm not." 

"Are so. And you know I'm not going to stop bugging you until you tell me." Daisuke took Ken by the shoulders and forced him to look up. "So what's wrong?" 

"It's just.....did you mean it?" The question was asked so softly that for a moment Daisuke didn't think he had heard right. 

"Mean what?" he questioned. 

"What you said in the dark world...." Ken looked up at him out of frightened violet eyes. "About--about loving me. Did you mean it?" 

Daisuke let go of Ken's shoulders, a flush creeping across his cheeks. 

"Ah, well, actually..." he stammered in embarrassment. 

"It's okay if you didn't mean it." Ken lowered his head to let his hair shield his face. "I just....wondered, that's all. Just a thought." 

"Well, um....did you mean it?" Daisuke's voice was calm enough, but his heart was beating faster with every moment. 

Ken, surprised at the question, glanced up. His eyes met Daisuke's, and for a moment it seemed as if time was still. Finally, Ken found a voice to answer with. 

"Yes. I meant every word. I love you, Daisuke. I always have." He sighed and looked resigned. "Please don't hate me." 

"Are you nuts?" A second later, Ken was caught up in Daisuke's embrace. 

"Wh-what?" Ken pulled away, confused. 

"I thought that you didn't, for a second there," Daisuke admitted. Catching Ken's eye, he smiled. "You know, when I was talking to Kagami, he made me realize something. Something I've tried to ignore for a long time." Daisuke took a deep breath. "I love you too, Ken. And I mean it." 

Ken stared. Part of him screamed that this was some sort of cruel joke, that the universe had never been this kind to him. But that part was drowned out by the sheer glow he felt inside hearing those words. Almost unconsciously he threw himself at Daisuke, tackling the other boy to the ground and kissing him on the lips. 

Ken finally pulled away and rolled off Daisuke, lying on the grass beside him. Daisuke was looking at him with a strange combination of shock and happiness. He touched a hand to his lips, where Ken had kissed him. 

"....Wow. Didn't see that coming." 

Ken laughed softly, his eyes shining with barely suppressed emotion. 

"I never thought...." He shook his head. "I was afraid that it was all just to calm me down. I've been dying to ask you, but I couldn't, not with everyone else around. I was so afraid that--that you really didn't mean it." 

"If I didn't mean it, I wouldn't have said it," Daisuke said firmly. "I really do love you, Ken. I--I wasn't too sure about it at first. Kagami kinda shocked me into saying it." He paused, and when he spoke again his voice was unnaturally subdued. "You know when I finally realized it? When we got our first sight of Mirror Lake, and I saw you trapped in the ice. I thought you were dead for a second there. I really did. And then it just kinda hit me that I really did love you, and that I couldn't imagine what things would be like without you. Maybe that's why I kept hearing you, when you were in the lake." 

"You....heard me?" 

"Yeah," Daisuke confirmed. "It was weird. The first time I was in the computer lab with everyone else and I coulda swore I heard you call me for help. But then Kagami came in and I still thought he was you and I just kinda forgot about it. And then later I was at your place talking to Kagami and he started coming kinda--close, and for a second I thought he was gonna kiss me, and then I heard you screaming my name. I didn't think about it until later, but I guess that really was you I heard, huh?" 

"I--I guess so." Ken flushed and couldn't help a pleased smile. "You really heard me?" 

"Yup." Daisuke nodded. He might have said more if Ken hadn't attached himself to Daisuke's lips once more. When the kiss was broken, Daisuke couldn't help but smile as he wrapped an arm around Ken's waist and pulled him closer. "You know, I don't think I've ever seen you this happy." 

"I don't know if I've ever been this happy before," Ken admitted, snuggling into Daisuke's side. "It's like I've woken up from the nightmare to find a pleasant dream waiting for me. All my memories seem to be full of you now." 

"Then I guess we'll stay happy as long as you don't lose them," Daisuke said gravely. 

Ken's only reply was another soft kiss, as he and Daisuke started the important process of creating precious memories. 

~~~ 

Elsewhere, wrapped comfortably in swaying glass waters that no longer seemed to hold the threat they once had, the being that called itself Kagami slept peacefully. He could feel the Guardian's presence around him, yet somehow it didn't bother him. The presence seemed faint, far off, as if it were not even in the lake with him. The Guardian's touch was no longer a touch of pain to Kagami, but rather, it felt soft as wind across water. Nestled in the crystalline waters, Kagami slept and dreamed, with the sound of two synchronous heartbeats playing like a lullaby in his ears. 


End file.
